DEAR NEW NEIGHBORS

Dear New Neighbors,

I am finding it really hard not to come talk to you in person by beating down your door and flipping out. You moved in almost two weeks ago and I have noticed some irresponsible parenting on your part and it is driving me nuts. I thought it was odd the first couple of times I saw your four year old daughter roaming the streets but now I am beyond annoyed. First she was playing in your next door neighbors yard ~ not a problem ~ BUT now she roams the street and the storms in houses that she has NO business storming into. You are NEVER outside checking on her. The other evening some of the older boys (the other neighbor children that are major trouble makers ~ you know the ones with the overbearing grandmother) pushed your four yr old daughter. When she landed in the street, I went to make sure she was okay only to find her arm scrapped from elbow to wrist and bleeding. I picked her up and carried her 4 houses down and across the street to where you reside. I find it hard to believe that you did not hear her screaming since several other neighbors stepped outside to see what was wrong. Upon arriving a friend of yours opened the door at which point I tried to explain what had happened thinking she was the girl's mother. She cut me off when I tried to introduce myself saying you and your husband were upstairs. First of all, she was not bothered at all that the four year old girl was hurt and that a complete stranger was carrying her home. Now granted the injury was in no way life threatening but again she is only four so in her eyes the arm might as well fell off. I walked back home when within twenty minutes the girl was on my entry sidewalk screaming at the top of her lungs, "He hit me! He freaking hit me!" Apparently one of the trouble makers hit her and I asked them all to just go home!

The next evening my three year old came in crying three separate times saying she had hit him. I was not outside; however, his fifteen yr old brother said she hit him because she wanted to "drive" his car that he was playing with at the time. She is bossy and rude! Now I am all for sharing but she does not need to be hitting my child when she doesn't get her way. He is stubborn, ornery and can be flat out mean at times but she does not need to hit him because she wants what he is playing with at the time. I must say I was amused the next time she tried to hit him and he went and poured a glass of water over her head. Even though it amused me I told him this was wrong and made him apologize then asked her to go home if they couldn't play nicely.

The following night at 8:00PM while I was washing the boys hair in the shower, in popped your FOUR YEAR OLD GIRL! IN. MY. HOUSE! Are you kidding me? First of all, why is she roaming the streets at 8pm ALONE! Second of all, what makes her think she can just walk (right now as I am typing she just walked in again! Seriously!) into my house then into the bathroom where my children are naked in the shower. This child needs a serious lesson on boundaries! I told her she needed to go home and not walk in without knocking first. Little good that did since she just did it again! Apparently, she has been doing this at several houses on the street. I thought you were introducing yourself to the neighbors the other night when I saw you knocking on five different houses. I thought maybe there was hope for you yet, BUT I later found out you were just looking for your daughter!

Now several days later I asked her nicely to stop walking around the flowerbeds that surround my trees in the front. She managed to listen to my request for about five minutes then proceeded to walk in them again! Ugh! She teases my three year old constantly and I am tired of it. Do you ever know where she is? Today my sons were playing with their nice friends from the end of the street and asked if their friends could play in the backyard with them. I probably should have asked "What friends?" before agreeing but I thought they were just playing with those two boys. My sons, the two nice boys and your little girl then proceed to walk through the house and into the backyard. Alrighty then! No biggie! She has now been here for almost an hour and a half without you even wondering where she has been! As I was unloading the dishwasher, your older son (probably 10) who I didn't even know existed comes through my house to go into the backyard too with nothing more than a hi! No knock! No asking permission! No introduction! This is the FIRST TIME I'VE EVER SEEN HIM and he was walking through my house! Then they all come in for drinks at which point I gave them all a glass of water. At this time, your daughter asks for a snack. I gave her goldfish crackers then stewed in my annoyed state. She did say thank you when she put the bowl in my sink which surprised me. I then thought I shouldn't have given her a snack since I do not know her or if she has food allergies. In the past, I would not have even thought twice but Avani is allergic to everything so I have to watch what she eats while she is here.

What kind of parents allow their four year old girl to roam the street of a house they JUST moved into?

What kind of parents don't know where their four year old child is?

Does it not bother you that she is around COMPLETE strangers...ALONE?

What kind of parents allow said child out alone at 8pm?

What parent of a four year old lets them dart across the street?

She NEVER looks before crossing the street and often times she will run through our yard then straight into the street without even slowing down let alone looking both ways.

You do not know us and we do not know you!

You have made NO attempts to introduce yourself which would not be a problem normally BUT YOUR CHILD KEEPS WALKING INTO MY HOUSE UNINVITED! If she had lived here all her life, this would probably not be a big deal but she doesn't even know my name! I would NEVER EVER purposely hurt a child but YOU don't know that! You don't know me, my husband or our children ~ crap you don't even know our first names or probably which house is ours. You don't even know the people of the five houses you knocked on trying to find her earlier in the week. This is getting a little ridiculous! I've tried to bear with her need for boundaries because simply put "it isn't the child's fault" but then I got to thinking. You do not know us and we do not know you! She could easily lie and say we did something to her at which point I am sure you would believe her since yet again YOU DON'T KNOW ME! For this reason, she will not be allowed into our home until a proper introduction is made and her intrusion into our home will no longer be tolerated. I am sending her home now because of this reason alone! I am not trying to be mean to her by not letting her in my home but instead being a responsible adult and parent by keeping mine safe......maybe you should try it! This all boils to the two of you being irresponsible parents and I truly feel sorry for your children.

By the way, you now are the proud owners of the largest house on the block which is even more apparent now with your new, bright, bold paint job! I don't like it but since you don't know me that minor fact should not be cause for concern much like your children! Wow does it stand out! Oh well! I do like the trim color though!

Sincerely,

Angela but since you don't know my name consider me the concerned neighbor/parent who doesn't like the new paint job except the trim color!