neighbors & they're kids

[dldz]

Well,I was telling the wife about the garden and she got on her atv & went out back to check it out. She saw 4-5 local kids toss rocks into windows (4) on a lot next to ours that is empty and for sale. Well she hollored at them & came & got me. Of course by then they ran off and I went to look at the damage they did at least 500.00-800.00 damage to the house. So my wife calls the sheriff (all we sorta have around here) and 4 hours later they come out. I took him over there and he then procedded to look for the kids, well he caught up with 3 of them and they started ratting on each other & then the cop took 5 of them ( 10-15) yrs of age into custody, for vandalism..etc..and came over to say how much he appriciated us calling it in. And all I could think of is the parade of parents that will confront me or my wife in town.You have to understand that where we live is very remote and we don't have these problems,and when these things happen I go over & deal with whoever is involved without bringing in the 'law'. But when I went to the one kids house 15 mins driving time away, they would'nt answer the damn door and I could hear him (the parent) sicking the pit bull on me. I had my gun the dawg isn't the issue it is them and how they 'deal' with things. Although they would'nt open the door for me I'm now wondering if the law was the right choice after talking with our other neighbors I found out that these kids have been doing petty stuff on they're properties. But they never spoke up, all I can think of is these idiot kids that are tonight sitting in the local juvenile center 60 miles away from home. I live up here to stay away from this kinda crap... I could say that it's time to look for something MORE remote but why let these kinda people take over ?
Did we do the right thing ? Should i ignore the petty windsheilds etc these kids break ? 350.00 each ?
I think that they needed to be stopped myself if it was my kid I would kick his ass, and every paycheck he/she would come across until 30 yrs old would go to repaying they're debt. AARRRRGGGGGGHHH

Don

[skunkhuter]

U did right however they're parents should pay for the damages.And be ashamed when they are seen in town. Know what I mean ? Best O luck dude

[Penguin]

I personally think you did the right thing. Kids these days have no respect of people or property. They are all spoiled and lack discipline. Alot of it is the parents fault, but some of it comes from society today. Kids now a days know that if their parents spank them they can call the police and claim child abuse. I know a lot of parents that are afraid to spank thier children for fear of this. THAT IS WRONG.

We were all spanked when we were little. There is nothing wrong with it, unless it is taken too far.

Sorry got of the subject. Anyway, we have a few kids in the neighborhood that are now starting to get to the age where they are now wondering the streets. We have a Pool Club behind our house and some of the kids cut through my yard to get to the pool. On their way through they stomp on plants and bend the hedges. Now they are starting to tease the dog.

As soon as I find out what house's they all live in, these parents are getting a visit.

So I think you did the right thing.

[LawyerRon]

You did the right thing.

[wolfie]

yep you did the right thing and Penguin i agree with you totally!!
i wonder how many of us can remember getting hit with that nice board with the holes in it when we were in school. and i seemed to grow up alright!!

wolfie

[sdkfz]

Agreed, you did the right thing, too bad that values are not taught anymore.

As to the punishment thread in the thread, I too got spanked. It was always the "death penalty" type of crime/transgression so while I can not give you an accurate count, I was spanked no more than once a year for sure, what I feared more was the lecture, having two Phd's for parents I could count on a very specific talking to, where a simple "yeah I get it' did not suffice to end it, I would have to reiterate the point back.

On the positive side I have a very distinct memory of being in a restaurant with the family and there was another family nearby, they were doing what is now quite typical, throwing food, knocking over things, yelling etc. and my father leaned over and asked if I would prefer to be at the other table, if acting 'civilised' was a good thing. Definitley made me think about all of the 'horrible' lessons and how they actually helped me.

[mairving]

It is pretty sad when you report a crime like this and the parents of the little darlings blame you. You only did what a responsible citizen would do. In our city, we had a 3yr. old kid killed when a drug deal went wrong. They asked some of the neighbors about it. They said 'Yeah it is a problem'. Then they asked them about a neighborhood watch program. Then they said 'No, that is the policeman's job'. Pretty sad that people want things to change but are not willing to 'get involved'. Glad that you didz.

[HAL9000]

You did the right thing and realistically, news travels fast in a small community and I'm sure other people will agree with you and be glad you did what you did.

[whr2206]

You did the right thing... at least you taught those kids a lesson.

I remember that happening alot at around my neightborhood a year or two ago. A couple kids a few years younger than me were vandalizing ym parents car so I went out there.... And I threatened them... it was effective, but wasn't really the right way of dealing with things. If they had come back I probably would've beaten them. But thats cause I wasn't really thinking. The "right" thing to do would have straightened them up and would have been the better thing to do..

[eshort]

YOU WERE ABOSOLUTELY CORRECT IN YOUR ACTIONS!!!!

Im SO sick and tired of seeing unruly kids..often with the parents right there not doing anything about their kids' behavior!

I see this daily in stores and in my apartment comoplex-kids running up and down the halls screaching with parents RIGHT THERE and doing NOTHING......when I was "young"--the first thing my parents said to me was (in effect).."keep your mouth shut and your hands in youir pockets once we go out of the house"...

I was once in a computer store examining a notebook computer and a litttle kid (age 4-5) came right over, pushed infront of me, puished my hands away from the machine and began banging on the keys..the parents were right there and did and said NOTHING!!..Not only did they disrespect my rights, but, they allowed their bat to pound on-possibly damage- a very valuable piece of equipment!

I have visted Euirope three times and see a TREMENDOUS difference in the behavior of children over there! For example- I was on a beach in soutern France for three weeks and NEVER saw a child throwing a "brat atack", whining-yelling-screaming-running around uncontrollably etc......and..i never saw parents yelling or toehr wise having to "discipline" their kids...and-there wre prob 10000 people on that beach at any one time....

Our kids are much too spoiled, indulged, undisciplined and ill mannered!!

UGHHHHHH....

[doctorgonzo]

They broke the law, you called the Sheriff. That's the right thing in my book. Perhaps if these kids learn to take responsibility for their actions now, they won't learn later when they are drinking and driving, stealing cars, or mugging people. At least hopefully that will happen.

Parents shouldn't get ticked off at others just because they don't care enough to raise their kids. Morons like that should not be having kids.

[skunkhuter]

Damn kids

[dldz]

Thanks guys I knew it was the right thing but I don't understand they're ..train of thought ? Did they think that they could take advantage of someone eles unattended property ? damn kids I remember doing things like that when I was young but my dad took care of me having any further desires of behaving like that you might say..yes the ol' belt/board works very well! The owner of the property called me this AM and asked me to go over & board it up for her since she is unable to deal with this right now. She told me to call the deputy when I have all the repairs done to give him the receipt, and yes she is pressing charges on the kids and I fully agree.So it's off to the lumber store I go. Once again thanks for the support!
Don

[Sauron]

Yes, I think you did the only thing you could do.

[mbossman2]

I think that you handled this the best way you could. You tried to keep it a private, unofficial matter but that requires parents who are receptive to bad news about their kids and are willing to take the proper steps to ensure hat never happens again. when you were unable to do that, you then took the next step, made it an official matter and while that may cause some bad blood between you and the neighbors for the short term, the long term effects will probably be positive ones.

[homer15]

i think you did the right thing, but now you have to watch for retaliation from the kids.

and saying all kids today are undisciplined and stuff like that is not true, the only ones you notice are the undisciplined ones. a lot of kids i know are very well behaved in public (i know a lot of kids. but i do agree that most parents don't properly discipline their kids. when i was younger (not too long ago), i remember getting spanked. my dad would always give me warning if i misbehaved in public that a spanking was coming when i got home, and he always followed through. then he would talk to me and tell me why i got a spanking, and how i could avoid it in the future. never once did i think about calling the cops, because i knew i was wrong... and also, i was pretty sure that if i pulled a stunt like that, my dad would pound on me until the cops came and pulled him away. i was not abused as a child, but when force was necessary it was used. i think i turned out alright...

[doctorgonzo]

I don't think that spanking kids is a necessary condition for them to turn out alright, though. I wasn't spanked and never did I do anything like that, nor did my brother. On the other hand, a family that I know where the kids are spanked have some of the biggest brats imaginable, because the parents spoil them and give them whatever they want. At least I learned as a kid that I can't get everything by whining and pouting.

[homer15]

Originally posted by doctorgonzo I don't think that spanking kids is a necessary condition for them to turn out alright, though. I wasn't spanked and never did I do anything like that, nor did my brother. On the other hand, a family that I know where the kids are spanked have some of the biggest brats imaginable, because the parents spoil them and give them whatever they want. At least I learned as a kid that I can't get everything by whining and pouting.

you're right, spanking kids isn't always necessary, nor is it always effective. but when it's used properly (like not, spoiling the little brats) it works. my parents disciplined me and my younger brother, but when my baby brother was born, i guess they forgot or something. he's 12 now, and he was spoiled as a child, and not reared. he's a little brat, and he thinks the world revolves around him. my dad is just now getting fed up with him (and i said "just now?! i've been fed up with him for years!").

[smokealotapotimus]

you sure did the right thing, but kids will be kids, right? It's not really right to put all kids in the same stereotypical category, also from reading these replies I'm pretty disgusted at the way some of these parents are now adays.

Anyways, I personally think that my generation (15/16/17) are last ones to have a head on their shoulders. All you see around my town is little 13 year old skater punks that think their tough.

[doctorgonzo]

Originally posted by smokealotapotimus Anyways, I personally think that my generation (15/16/17) are last ones to have a head on their shoulders. All you see around my town is little 13 year old skater punks that think their tough.

Heh. Ten years ago I thought the same thing.

[ylen13]

yes u did the right thing,but if they kids were trained right they woud have a chances of not getting introubled.Kids should have been tought that if a cop ask u a question to only tell him your name and where u leave and the rest just refuse to asnwear the question.I would think that 15years old would be smart enough to know this but i guess i'm wrong.

[homer15]

you mean, train the kid to be a disrespectful punk? i bet cops wish they could beat those kind of people without retrobution.

[ylen13]

Originally posted by homer15 you mean, train the kid to be a disrespectful punk? i bet cops wish they could beat those kind of people without retrobution.

No train the kids to know their rights.

[mbossman2]

Originally posted by ylen13 No train the kids to know their rights.

Oh good, parents teaching their kids "advanced criminal behavior".

"don't worry johnny, just keep you trap closed, and the coppers can't make nothin' stick"

Whatelse should they learn? the making and use of shiv's?

[homer15]

Originally posted by mbossman2 Whatelse should they learn? the making and use of shiv's?

haha!

[SARGE]

Originally posted by dldz ... I'm now wondering if the law was the right choice after talking with our other neighbors I found out that these kids have been doing petty stuff on they're properties. But they never spoke up, all I can think of is these idiot kids that are tonight sitting in the local juvenile center 60 miles away from home.

That's just it - nobody ever spoke up before. You did them (the kids) a favor and possibly put a crimp in their style. Cooling their heels awhile. A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. Perhaps you helped to end theirs'.