April 17, 2012

No One Teaches Manners Anymore?

Last year's artichoke

Rant Incoming.

When I was growing up there were a few general rules about being outside your own home.

You don't walk on other people's grass.

You don't go up on other people's porches and mess with their stuff.

You don't go running around in people's flower beds.

And stay out of the street so you don't get hit by a car.

Things like that.

That's how I was raised and so was my husband. That's just the way it's supposed to be, right? Breaking those rules is rude. It's bad manners.

Well.

That's apparently NOT how kids are raised now.

In the past few weeks we've watched kids run over our grass and come up on our porch doing who knows what. We've watched not one, but TWO kids nearly get nailed by a car because they're friggin stupid and are running around in the street.

The day before Easter I see some of the neighbor kids TROMPING THROUGH OUR FLOWER BED "hiding eggs". 

And just now, as we're eating dinner, we hear wind chimes. For some strange reason it sounds like OUR wind chimes. The one next to our office window. A look outside shows yet another neighborhood kid BANGING OUR WIND CHIMES AROUND.

Oh and look. There on the side walk are flowers from OUR AZALEA BUSH. You know, the one RIGHT NEXT TO THE HOUSE, UNDER THE FRONT WINDOW.

I'm sorry, but what the hell?

It's now OK for kids to just destroy property? Parents are really letting them do this?

Oh wait.

The parents don't care. The parents don't watch their kids. The parents aren't around when their kid almost gets run over by a truck because they didn't bloody look when they went running into the street. And the parents sure as hell aren't teaching them manners. (Like don't rip up people's azalea bushes!).

When I was that age (we're talking 6-10 year olds here), my mom was usually out front with me, watching.

And I wouldn't have been running around on people's yards messing with their things.

No, it's not really the fact that my grass got stepped on that's the problem. And the flower will grow back. It's the fact that these kids have absolutely no respect for anyone or their property. But I'm not sure which ticks me off more - the kids or their parent's lack of involvement. 

I am about to become "that neighbor". You know the one.

Mean Old Lady Hollar. The one that yells at you because you stepped on her grass.

Except hearing the way these kids talk, it wouldn't be the word "lady".

About to get out the garden hose and sit in wait,
Meg

P.S. We got our garden planted Sunday. Yay!

7 comments:

Kim said...

Meg, we should team up because I'm "on my broom" lately too. You are right, most kids now have no respect. We used to have more kids in our neighborhood. I used to be "that neighbor". I remember going out one day for the 3rd time and hearing "look out, here comes that old b***ch". Lol
Go get em Meg

Farm Girl said...

Gosh no way, Did new people move it? I am appalled.
Well, I never had any of that happen when we lived in a neighborhood. The thing is what I see is adults stopping their cars.
I think it is just the world.
I hope the kids go away.

From Beyond My Kitchen Window said...

Oh boy do I know what you mean. I work in a school and its structured so they are on their best behavior, but sometimes I'm standing at the sink in the classroom washing my hands and they are behind me saying EXCUSE ME, EXCUSE ME, they don't have a clue they need to wait. It's really the parents fault. Kids are a product of their environment. That said you can't have your hard work ripped up by the roots either. Growing up we would never cut across someones yard or go into their yard uninvited. It's so sad.

Rachel said...

Buy some metal jacks and plant them to where they just barely poke out of the dirt.
I guarantee they won't run through your planters anymore.
I mean... They deserve it, right? <.<

Thistle Cove Farm said...

What about stringing electrical wire so they get shocked?
No?
Hmmmmm, sounded like a great plan to me.
Even in church, children are RUDE and when I tell them to "go to the back of the line and let the older folks go first" the children look at me like I've lost my mind.
I probably have.
That's why I live behind a locked gate.

myletterstoemily said...

if i lived near you, i would come throw
water balloons at those pesky kids
with you!

Staci@LifeAtCobbleHillFarm said...

I hear you. Where we used to live, the family behind us had 3 kids. They would run out in the middle of the street expecting cars to stop for them, play in everyone else's yards (even though there's was the largest by far) and allow their dog to do his "business" anywhere and everywhere. One day I had had enough when the mother AND the 3 kids were playing in my front yard and I had fresh grass seed planted. I asked if she was really that ignorant. Her response? "Oh, I get it, you don't like kids". Really???? Frustrating. So happy we moved, but it's too bad that moving was the only way to end the nonsense. :-)

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