Image by cliff1066 via Flickr

“Get off my drive”, “Stop teasing the dog” “Stop screaming”. I can’t stand it anymore. This used to be a quiet neighbourhood. Now next door have a noisy brat who bangs the door every time she runs out of the house like some wild donkey into the road (one of these days a car will be there at the same time), she never looks out into the road! And across the way, the lads are allowed to climb all over their parent’s car, so off course they have no respect for anyone else’s property. You tell them off while their parents ignore them and the kids look at you as if you’re some kind of Martian speaking in another language. And the things some of them say! Wouldn’t go amiss in a drunken pub.

Of course it wasn’t like this in my day (so everyone says), but it wasn’t. If we stepped out of line we were told off by any adult in the vicinity, but we listened, too frightened of what our parents would do if we didn’t. That was it you see, our parents would have been embarrassed if we were tearing around the neighbourhood the way that these kids do. And yet the media report of stories of worse cases, kids with guns and knives. I guess sometimes I feel sorry for these kids, no real attention or love from their parents, so every attention-seeking action is deployed to try and get some kind of response from robot-like parents. But do I really need to put up with it. I’ve even tried talking to the neighbours about their offspring, but they sheepishly apologise and then crack a joke to change the subject, the next thing I see are the lads climbing out of their front room window (I wonder if their parents are already aware of the possible career choice these lads might be rehearsing for).

As children seem to get worse in their behaviour, blame seems to be aimed at the schools and government! I am still in shock after one news reporter suggested that not enough money was being put into after school activities for youngsters! What! When was the government responsible for people deciding to have children? You make a decision (or not as the case may be) – bang child on the way, you take the responsibility. Nobody said it was easy, but in the past parents had to manage on much less and their kids didn’t go around making nuisances of themselves. PARENTS take responsibility for your offspring! You decided to have them, so don’t inflict their bad behaviour on everyone else.

I know to some I may be a silly old fool, but I’d just like to be happy, to enjoy my home and my garden in peace and quiet. The sound of children laughing is always pleasant to hear, so parents, please for my sanity and peace enjoy and experience your children so that we can all enjoy them!