neighbors
@frecklelip334 (1668)
United States
May 18, 2007 7:03pm CST
there were some kids outside playing, i could hear them. no biggie, kids are loud, oh well. that's not what bothered me. but then one of them was screaming. not like they were hurt kind of screaming, just an annoying scream. so i looked out the window, (what IF they were hurt), and they were just rough-housing. it was just these boys who live in the next building over. so, in this family, there are 5 boys, and 3 adults, that's what i've counted so far. now first of all in our lease it states for a 2 bedroom apartment, which is the most bedrooms we have here, only 4 people are allowed in a 2 bedroom apartment. hmmm, and they just moved in. so here's my worry of the day. these boys were playing...being loud, fine kids play like i said, BUT they're out playing in the parking lot, the oldest may be 10, and the youngest may be 3. so all 4 of them were rough housing, pushing each other into cars, (i would have hollered at them if they were hitting on my car), and the mom, or whomever she was, was sitting on the stoop, messing with her cell phone. i especially worried for the littlest one, as you know he isn't watching for cars, and he's tiny, a car could hit him so easily.......she would NOT look up from her phone. my son HAS to hold my hand or his father's, whomever, if we're in a parking lot. she should not have let them play out there. we have a grassy area for them to play in, why didn't she tell them to play there instead of throwing rocks at cars, and pushing each other around like that? i almost felt i had to keep watching in case something DID happen to one of them....so am i being a nosey neighbor? or am i an over-protective mom, who can't understand other's parenting styles? i give my son a ton of independence, but playing in the street or parking lot at such a young age is just, well not right to me...people just swirve in and out of here so fast...it hurts my heart to think someone would get hurt, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CARETAKER JUST SITS THERE NOT WATCHING....so am i nuts? this was just my observation for the day. i had to turn away from the window, didn't want to see anyone get smashed for crying out loud!!
7 people like this
9 responses
@disvachic (10117)
• United States
20 May 07
That is really ridiculous of her.Seriously those kids could have been injured or could have hit somebody window.She was sitting there doing nothing about it all on the cell phone prolly texting,i dont know.Some kids around my way are doing the same thing.Parents dont care what they are doing.ONe day there were 4 kids sitting on my car.I went out there and told them to get off.They caught an attitude but hey I dont care go sit on ya moma car.
1 person likes this
@frecklelip334 (1668)
• United States
23 May 07
YES! GOOD FOR YOU! what is it with these kids?? or parents not caring? i can't put a blame on anyone, cuz i think it's just EVERYONE who needs to be blamed. but i'm trying so hard to teach my son respect...respect for others' their property, everything...yet what's he going to learn from his peers one day? crazy world, girl, it's sad!!
1 person likes this
@frecklelip334 (1668)
• United States
23 May 07
oh yea, and if i was sitting out there, texting, not payin attention and my son got HIT? OOH...guilt, sadness, mad, UGH, all of the emotions...but it's almost as if it would have been MY fault he was hurt, OR worse, simply cuz i wasn't watching...some people...UGH!!
1 person likes this
@rogue13xmen13 (14402)
• United States
19 May 07
No, some parents and caretakers are just really neglegent and do not care about their children. To those caretakers and parents, shame on them, they should know better.
1 person likes this
@rogue13xmen13 (14402)
• United States
19 May 07
I must agree, if you are not going to take care of your responsibility, then why have children.
1 person likes this
@frecklelip334 (1668)
• United States
19 May 07
and you see that happening EVERYWHERE. i would do ANYTHING for my son to protect him.
@frecklelip334 (1668)
• United States
19 May 07
they should, but they don't and i see it more and more. if you don't want to take care of kids, why have kids then? i mean really!!!
1 person likes this
@Marie2473 (8512)
• Sweden
19 May 07
I have to agree with the first one. Go down and talk to her a friend and explain that the cars can come fast and that it is a dangerous place for them to be playing at. Maybe this will have them play somewhere else.
I do not think that u are nosey at all. We all have to take care of the kids and make sure that they are safem wether they are our own or not =)
1 person likes this
@frecklelip334 (1668)
• United States
19 May 07
i wish i could just approach her like that. but that is not happening. see, in my neighborhood, you have to kinda avoid people. it's a dangerous area. she would just laugh at me and tell me to mind my own business, call me some derogatory name, to let her worry about her own kids. THIS is why we're getting out of here. we had a really big snow storm, pulled into the lot, got stuck, ON CHRISTMAS EVE, with our baby in the car, and no one helped. we saw people looking out their windows at us, and no one cared. finally after an hour of my hubby trying to push the car by himself, cuz i was trying to get us unstuck BEHIND the wheel, this lil guy walked up to us (out of nowhere mind you), didn't speak english, but waved his hands at us, ran upstairs and got like 7 guys to help us. but he's the ONLY one who even attempted help. people around here are nasty, and there are all kinds of races, but if you're not THEIR race, they will bark at you...we have to get out of here. PLUS there was another fire today. that's the second building in a year that has had a fire....had it with this place.
@whyaskq (7523)
• Singapore
19 May 07
In my opinion, it is just a difference in the way parents take care of the children. There is no right or wrong. It is understandable for parents to worry about children getting into accidents. However, some parents have different thinking and approach of teaching their kids.
Take for instance, I feel my sister is more paranoid when it comes to babysitting my niece. She cannot stand me when I babysit my niece. I would give my niece "full" independence to do what she likes. I will only keep an eye on her. My sister would follow her round the clock, eying her every movement, telling her this "No" that "No", in fear of my niece doing something drastic beyond our control.
1 person likes this
@frecklelip334 (1668)
• United States
19 May 07
i understand that, and if this woman has 5 kids, well, most tend to slack more as more kids come, not as worried, and such. but tell me it's right for a 3 year old to be alone playing out in the lot like that. he doesn't know....and he's trying to keep up with his older siblings, and they're not watching him, running way behind them...it breaks my heart. i'm not, never said she's a bad parent, or not teaching them....however, i choose not to let my son play in the parking lot where cars are...we have a great green play area out back...it's common sense in my eyes...
@castleghost (1304)
• United States
19 May 07
I don't consider you a nosey neighbor. You sound more like a conserned neighbor to me. I would suggest calling the apartment manager and letting hime know what is going on so that he can handle the situation. I wouldn't personally go over and speak to the mother because she might get resentful of you later and try to cause you problems.
1 person likes this
@frecklelip334 (1668)
• United States
20 May 07
that's exactly why i wouldn't go over to her directly. i don't want to cause anything. i'm gonna keep an eye on things for the next few weeks, AND once they're out of school for the summer. cuz when kids are out of school for the summer, that's when it gets nuts...these parents need to find things for their kids to do, other than play in the parking lots.
@Sherry12 (2472)
• United States
20 May 07
That is sad that the mother was letting them play like that. They should definately have been in the grassy area. And, they shouldn't have been allowed to throw rocks or even touch anyones car. Parking lots are dangerous, you aren't expecting little kids to be in them and it would be very easy to not see a little one. Too many accidents happen in peoples driveways, I agree that isn't safe at all.
1 person likes this
@frecklelip334 (1668)
• United States
19 May 07
me neither gabs. i don't get it. i would freak out if something happened to my son. when i see this kinda of thing happen, i wonder if the parents truly care? and that's horrible to think they really don't, as if they're thinking, "oh well, let them do what they want...". kids STILL need boundaries, no matter what age they are.
@mamacathie (3928)
• United States
19 May 07
Some so-called "parents" just don't seem to take the responsibility of parenting and the responsibility of having kids seriously. I just can't believe how this mom wasn't watching the little one. It just nearly makes me sick to know what could happen to the little one because of not watching him. You are a concerned neighbor, by no means are you overprotective. I think that little one needs someone to watch over him.
1 person likes this
@frecklelip334 (1668)
• United States
19 May 07
sometimes we have to step in as guardian angels. (although i'm sure he has one looking over him already), but it's so hard to see how parents are these days. and if you're not watching them and raising them, why you keep having more? she has 5 for goodness sakes (if that's their mom and if they're all brothers, may be cousins or something) but still. i just don't get it.
1 person likes this
@4cuteboys (4099)
• United States
19 May 07
My kids wouldn't be in that situation. Parking lots are not the place for that, reguardless of age in my opinion. And it's scary that the mother wasn't watching. She probably figured the oldest was keeping an eye out for the little ones, but if he was playing too he probably wasn't really watching and it isn't his responsibility to be a babysitter for the youngest.
I can't believe they were throwing rocks at cars. OMG I would have flipped about that. That is so rude. I would talk to the adults next time. If it continues or they damage your property I would go to the apartment complex manager.
1 person likes this
@frecklelip334 (1668)
• United States
19 May 07
i think if they hit ANY car, i mean really hit it hard, i WILL go to the manager, as i witnessed it. it's ridiculous. you're right. i bet the oldest WAS supposed to be watching them, since "mom" was too busy texting someone! so sad, and it makes me so angry. something's gonna happen to one of those kids. it's not right. then my hubby got home, and it was JUST getting dark, he pulls in and there were these kids on skateboards, RIGHT in the parking lot, and he said he didn't see them as he turned, (and he watches for kids all the time, cuz you never know), but cuz it was sort of dark, dusk like, he barely saw them...creepy. but if someone would tell their children, STAY OUT OF THE PARKING LOT, if "parents" would do their jobs in educating them on that, maybe it'd be better. i'm not saying it's ALL the parents fault, BUT they should look out the window once in awhile to check on the kids....just makes no sense to me...
