Busted some kids ringing our doorbell and running...

[disney100666]

gosh, Ding Dong Ditch is so annoying! I hate at school in class all the boys are talking about all the people they did and everything. good for you! C:

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Thats it! I'd get that Cantera door pronto.

We had kids do this to us three times in a week. DH went outside, found them and told them to go home. This was at 11pm. Hasn't happenened again since. I think they did it because they know we have three dogs and wanted to get them riled up. At the third time, we let the dogs out. That alone keeps people away.

Exactly! Actually I planted the kids and this story on the DIS just to throw my husband off. I threw in the gun part to really get people going. So far, my nefarious plan is working...

 

[mickeysgal]

Exactly! Actually I planted the kids and this story on the DIS just to throw my husband off. I threw in the gun part to really get people going. So far, my nefarious plan is working...

 

[CEDmom]

Wow! Are the kids that are playing football and soccer the punks you're talking about? Sure, I wouldn't be any too happy about them returning to my yard after being asked to leave, but this brings images of the nasty neighbors who hate kids I generally save the term punks for those kids hanging on the street corner, smoking cigs and yelling obscenities, not the ones playing ball. Maybe they do it just to drive you crazy

As for OP, I don't think you did anything wrong. I can see myself doing the same thing out of frustration but I think I'd have a good laugh with the parents after the kids had been sent out of earshot just to be sure they knew I wasn't insinuating their child was the devil incarnate. I think it's childish prank stuff but that doesn't mean they should not be called on it.

I remember a few childish pranks of my own, some we got away with, and some we didn't If you KNOW that you will not ever get caught, kinda takes the thrill away, doesn't it?

Personally, anyone who disregards another person or their property is a punk in my book. We have mostly nice kids in our neighborhood but there are a few that are a pain in the neck.

I think the OP did the right thing. Part of the problem with many kids today is having parents that think behavior like this is ok. If my DD8 ever did something like ding dong ditch and we found out about it she'd pay the consequences - nothing too severe but enough to make her think twice about doing it again. I'm all for kids having fun but not at the expense of others.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Personally, anyone who disregards another person or their property is a punk in my book. We have mostly nice kids in our neighborhood but there are a few that are a pain in the neck.

I think the OP did the right thing. Part of the problem with many kids today is having parents that think behavior like this is ok. If my DD8 ever did something like ding dong ditch and we found out about it she'd pay the consequences - nothing too severe but enough to make her think twice about doing it again. I'm all for kids having fun but not at the expense of others.

Thank you. It is the lack of respect that gets me. These are kids who don't even share a property line with us. I worry that they are going to get hurt on our property and sue us. I think that if someone asks you to please not play in his or her yard, that should be respected. And believe me, we don't hate kids, we have two of our own.

I also agree that part of the problem is parents thinking their little darlings do no wrong. In our case, the parents know what their kids are doing and codone it anyway, which is why I had to call the Sheriff's Department. There was no talking to the parents.

And yes fun is good! But ticking off people in the process is bad.

 

[Arielle22]

OP, I think what you did is fine. I never enjoyed childish pranks like this. Why is ok for anyone to upset another person just because they think it is funny?

I have 14 and 12 yr old dds. If I found out they were doing this sort of thing then they would be punished.

As for the windows near the front door, when our house was built 14 yrs ago, dh wanted those windows. We live in a quiet suburb of Boston but I grew up in Boston and wanted a nice solid door. My aunt had a house in Boston with those windows and someone broke into her house through them.

 

[waltsgirl]

Years ago when my sons were 1 and 2 I had just gotten them to bed and was watching live coverage of the TWA flight 800 disaster. After a long day with the boys I was glued to the TV as this plane crash had just happened and I wanted to watch it and chill out. I got ding dong ditched and I was fit to be tied. I chased the kids down the street, caught them and demanded to know who their parents were. THe kids fessed up and I walked them to their houses all the while chewing the kids out. When I got to their parents house I chewed them out too. There is no reason for kids to be ding dong ditching anyone and no less after dark at 9 oclock. Kids should be inside by that time of night and obviously these kids needed supervision no matter the time. I don't feel bad about chasing them down and giving the parents a piece of my mind. It is the parents job to keep their kids under control and they werent doing it. I have kids now that are 14,11 and 9 and they are not allowed out after dark just to hang out and they are not allowed to just hang out if the neighborhood. IF they they are doing something like riding their bikes or playing ball or chase fine. But they are not allowed to just loiter around. Too many parents fail to supervise their kids after a certain age and it is just ridiculous.

OP I think you did the right thing and I wouldnt feel bad about it at all. I think the dad glaring at the kid was fine too. That's the kid that will most likely learn it is not ok to disturb others, the other two might just get off light.

So riding your bike, playing tag or ball is Ok after dark? I could ring alot of doorbells and then hightail it away on my bike.

 

[waltsgirl]

I think you handled it well. I would hate to see my DH if the neighborhood kids did this. It's bad enough they play football in our yard and won't get out when we tell them to. I called the sheriff's office (anonymously, cell phone through work, to the non-emergency dispatch number) and had them take care of it last time. Now the kids are back playing soccer in the street next to our yard. It's only a matter of time until they are back in the yard. AND this is with them knowing DH is a police sergeant. I love my home but hate my neighborhood. A buncha punks running around.

Kids playing ball in your yard? Oh my gosh why they should be sent to the detention center.

 

[waltsgirl]

Personally, anyone who disregards another person or their property is a punk in my book. We have mostly nice kids in our neighborhood but there are a few that are a pain in the neck.

I think the OP did the right thing. Part of the problem with many kids today is having parents that think behavior like this is ok. If my DD8 ever did something like ding dong ditch and we found out about it she'd pay the consequences - nothing too severe but enough to make her think twice about doing it again. I'm all for kids having fun but not at the expense of others.

according to your definition if your daughter ever did this she would be a "punk" what is the punishment for a "punk"?

 

[CEDmom]

according to your definition if your daughter ever did this she would be a "punk" what is the punishment for a "punk"?

Yes, if my DD8 did something like this I'd consider her a punk. I haven't completely thought out a punishment but it would include an apology to anyone she bothered and losing some privledges. I can't imagine allowing her to be out with her friends without DH or I there if she can't behave properly. Excusing this kind of behavior is rediculus. How are kids going to learn accountability if they're never held accountable ?

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Yes, if my DD8 did something like this I'd consider her a punk. I haven't completely thought out a punishment but it would include an apology to anyone she bothered and losing some privledges. I can't imagine allowing her to be out with her friends without DH or I there if she can't behave properly. Excusing this kind of behavior is rediculus. How are kids going to learn accountability if they're never held accountable ?

Exactly. Isn't that what growing up and parenting is all about?

The kids that rang my doorbell didn't even live in my section of the neighborhood. It was about a 15 - 20 minute walk, getting them back home - and I live on the main street heading in and out of my development. Every person that lives here, or visits here, has to drive past my house. Not the dark street I'd want my kids hanging out on.

The mother of the two boys did ask me what my address was, and she wrote it down. It wasn't until later that I figured she was probably going to make them write a letter or something. I know it's what I'd make my girls do. And if they do, I'll acknowledge them for doing the right thing.

 

[Stepht5]

Kids playing ball in your yard? Oh my gosh why they should be sent to the detention center.

Don't you realize that the homeowners would be open to a lawsuit if one of the kids hurt themselves while playing ball?
And what if they have extensive landscaping that isn't condusive to *ball playing*? What if the kids break a sprinkler head? Or mess up the flowers or plantings. i spend alot of money on our landscaping and I would NOT be happy if other people's children where playing ball in MY yard.
Why can't they play in their own yard?????

My front yard isn't a play ground!

 

[waltsgirl]

Don't you realize that the homeowners would be open to a lawsuit if one of the kids hurt themselves while playing ball?
And what if they have extensive landscaping that isn't condusive to *ball playing*? What if the kids break a sprinkler head? Or mess up the flowers or plantings. i spend alot of money on our landscaping and I would NOT be happy if other people's children where playing ball in MY yard.
Why can't they play in their own yard?????

My front yard isn't a play ground!

My husband is a attorney (corporate) so I pretty familiar with the law. We also have a sprinkler system and nice landscaping. Children playing in my yard still doesn't bother me.

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

My husband is a attorney (corporate) so I pretty familiar with the law. We also have a sprinkler system and nice landscaping. Children playing in my yard still doesn't bother me.

I WOULD be bothered if they did not leave when asked. I have a friend who has a relatively large front yard for her neighborhood. The kids come and play football in it without asking. Her DH took their 5 yr old out there one day to go swimming in her little pool. The kids playing football refused to leave. He had to call the police so he could let his daughter swim IN HER OWN YARD.

We live on a farm. You would think kids on snowmobiles riding through would be okay. It's not. Especially when they go riding by my DD4's window at 3 am, or they ride them through the planted fields. ATVs too.

I think that was the problem that poster had. She asked the kids to stop and they wouldn't. It is her property and they should respect that.

 

[Magpie]

I've been ding-dong-ditched. Since I know the kids, I called their parents. They stopped! And no one retaliated, or gave my kids a hard time.

So, I think you handled it just fine! As a parent, I appreciate the times I've been told when my kids are making pests of themselves. I'm trying to raise them to be good neighbours, so I need to know when they're stepping out of line.

Oh, and as for the person who has fond memories of prank calls... there's a bunch of kids facing charges in our town for making prank calls. It's been a bad fall for this town. Having schools going into lockdown repeatedly, tying up police and ambulance services, all in the name of a "prank", isn't funny at all.

And even when it's not on THAT serious a level... we had some dumbarses calling our house at 3am for a few days running and saying profanities into the phone. It was scary! I really lost sleep over it, and the thought that someone out there - who might or might not know me - would do something like that just to frighten me... And that they'd even gone as far as to block their number! I mean, I started to worry that they might hurt me or the kids. We ended up calling the cops and asking them to put a trace on our line.

I frankly hate "pranks". Most of the time they're annoying, if not outright cruel. I come down on my kids like a ton of bricks whenever they try anything like that, and I don't let them watch those shows that glorify pranking either.

 

[doxdogy]

If you ask a neighborhood kid to stay out of your yard and they disregard the request, it is a lack of respect on the part of the kid. Thankfully all the kids in my neighborhood were taught respect by their parents and that was never an issue.

Kids playing ball in your yard? Oh my gosh why they should be sent to the detention center.

 

[Jack-Jack]

My husband is a attorney (corporate) so I pretty familiar with the law.

So what's the legal standard for a child trespasser to sue a property owner?

 

[CEDmom]

My husband is a attorney (corporate) so I pretty familiar with the law. We also have a sprinkler system and nice landscaping. Children playing in my yard still doesn't bother me.

How nice for you but some people don't want kids playing in their yard and they are well within their legal right to tell them to stop. It's trespassing plain and simple.

 

[Goofyzgurl]

Years ago when my sons were 1 and 2 I had just gotten them to bed and was watching live coverage of the TWA flight 800 disaster. After a long day with the boys I was glued to the TV as this plane crash had just happened and I wanted to watch it and chill out. I got ding dong ditched and I was fit to be tied. I chased the kids down the street, caught them and demanded to know who their parents were. THe kids fessed up and I walked them to their houses all the while chewing the kids out. When I got to their parents house I chewed them out too. There is no reason for kids to be ding dong ditching anyone and no less after dark at 9 oclock. Kids should be inside by that time of night and obviously these kids needed supervision no matter the time. I don't feel bad about chasing them down and giving the parents a piece of my mind. It is the parents job to keep their kids under control and they werent doing it. I have kids now that are 14,11 and 9 and they are not allowed out after dark just to hang out and they are not allowed to just hang out if the neighborhood. IF they they are doing something like riding their bikes or playing ball or chase fine. But they are not allowed to just loiter around. Too many parents fail to supervise their kids after a certain age and it is just ridiculous.

OP I think you did the right thing and I wouldnt feel bad about it at all. I think the dad glaring at the kid was fine too. That's the kid that will most likely learn it is not ok to disturb others, the other two might just get off light.

I agree! Plus I think it's about respect. Respecting people's private property and peace and quiet for goodness sake. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't want kids ringing my doorbell and ditching. I don't think that's funny, and I have a very good sense of humor. I also don't think it's a right of passage either and I'm not overreacting. And why are they out that late wandering around and thinking of dumb **** stuff to do? Not only is it a lack of respect, but it's stupid.