I live in a small suburban neighborhood with a shared "greenspace" across from my house; walking path, tiny dog park, trees. Kids play out there a lot, unsupervised. Usually fine, minus one menace kid who full-swings golf balls and drives a loud go-kart through the grass.
2 weeks ago, 4 boys (10-12yo) were playing soccer, using two trees at the edge of the greenspace as goalposts. The problem: my house was the backstop. I WFH and my office faces the street, so I see/hear everything. These kids are old/skilled enough to kick with some force.
They hit my garage door twice, flowerbeds twice, my wife’s car in our driveway once. I hate conflict, but had had enough. I stepped outside and said, stern but not angry, “Hey, find somewhere else. You can keep playing, but not with my house as your backstop.” One kid muttered a sorry, I said it was fine and went back inside. They walked off.
That night we got ding-dong-ditched 4x. Who cares, kinda funny. My wife & I chuckled at the Ring footage – we did that as kids. Saw the boys outside the next day, so I walked over to "call a truce", even complimented their DDD’ing (which they denied lol).
Then the mom of one kid drove up. She got out and asked if there was a problem. I said no, just talking to the boys. She said they told her what happened and had reenacted me “yelling” at them. She said they’re just kids and asked "wouldn’t I rather they be outside than on an iPad?" Then literally told me I was “stealing their joy.” HA.
I said yes I want kids outside, just not kicking soccer balls into my house. She said I should have expected this when buying across from a greenspace. Me, now irritated: "It’s not like I bought a home facing a golf course." She asked if there was any damage (no), said they’d pay if there ever was. She got emotional, repeated I was “stealing their joy,” and started sobbing.
At that moment I saw her husband power-walking toward me. I had met him once, knew he worked in a faith-based job, so I assumed he wasn’t about to swing at me, but he came in HOT. I managed to de-escalate, the wife left, and he and I walked off as I explained I was not trying to be an AH, I just don’t want soccer balls fired at my house. We parted civilly but w tension.
This part will sound fake, but it’s true, and shows I suck at personal conflict. It bothered me enough I couldn’t focus on work. Admittedly a bit selfish to buy back my focus (not pure altruism), I bought a $30 soccer goal on Amazon to give as a peace offering (3’x4′ w net; legit enough to aim at instead of my house). Shortly after, my doorbell rang. I assumed another DDD, but it was the dad. He apologized, so did I, I showed him the goal, he offered to reimburse me (hasn’t), we ended on fine terms.
Two weeks of good weather later, haven’t seen the kids out once. The goal is assembled in my garage.
My conscience is mostly clear, but it still nags at me enough that I’m here asking: AITA? Is the goal weird or unnecessary where should I return it?
If you work from home you need to be able to concentrate, NTA.
absolutely NTA – and if they were hitting your car, especially, that can cause actual damage… and as far as them hitting the house, it’s a noise hazard, and they could hit a window, too. Their parents are assholes for complaining that you have to put up with ill-mannered hooligans causing ruckus in the neighborhood. Let them kick the ball against their own houses and/or their parents’ cars.
NTA there was a group of kids thatd play soccer around my complex using the apartments as backstops, they didnt stop until they’d broken 4 different windows and their parents had to pay to replace them
the goal is a little weird. Their parents should be buying it, and if they miss the goal, they will hit your house, and then it’s kinda YOUR FAULT. Return is my suggestion. They shouldn’t be out kicking balls into others’ property PERIOD. What if you have a baby, a dog, or a sick person in the house who needs to rest? They need to learn respect for property, and proper manners. The mom sounds psycho and the dad confrontive.
Yeah the goal felt right in the moment to restore my focus/sanity, but it feels weirder and weirder with time
NTA
They should teach their kids not to be little AHs and not kick balls towards other people’s property. They should also be supervising their children.
NTA. You did everything right. I hope they apologize and reimburse you. Sorry about your neighbors. They’re morons.
Good luck!!
NTA
Doesn’t matter if you WFH or not. Shouldn’t be hitting your house. PERIOD.’
NTA
It’s crazy because before I finished reading, I thought “I would probably just buy a portable goal and store it on my stoop for them” and you had the same thought.
But NTA they could have damaged the garage or its alignment on the rollers. They’re old enough to know better and my kids I’d expect them to ring the doorbell and apologize after hitting someone’s car.
NTA…Any parents so concerned are free to offer their home as a backstop.
You are NTA and I suspect the parents had something else going on.
NTA. I had a house that was on the corner of, the kids used the fence for a hockey goal. Thunk, thunk, thunk all day long and hundreds of divots in the fence. I contacted my LL who used to live in the home, she came by and had the kids stop. Yes I had asked at least 12 times to please not do that.
NTA – my son used our house as a backstop and guess who has two broken plans of siding.