Some People's Kids

I have a fairly low tolerance for rude people, who usually start out as rude children. I raised my kids to be polite, and it really was not all that tough, but I guess some people do not see the value in it.

I just had to go to the upstairs neighbor's condo, again, and ask if someone was bouncing a ball. The little girl, I'd say about 8, answered the door. Yes, she was bouncing a ball, and I asked her to please stop. Her mother is not home, and I am not sure anyone else is, either.

This is the same little girl I asked last year to stop bouncing the ball indoors, that time in the presence of her older brother, and her mom was upstairs, unaware.

This is the same little girl I had to ask to stop throwing the ball against her front door and letting it bounce into the street, or into my car. Each bounce also rattled my ceiling. And nerves. One of my other neighbors told me she had mentioned the same thing (ball bouncing into her car) to the girl's Mother, and apparently nothing has been done. I no longer park my car anywhere near their front door.

This is the same girl who, from behind closed door and apparently not-closed window, screamed "Old Bitch" to the neighbor who had asked her to please stop kicking her ball into her car. My neighbor calmly yelled back, "I am not old!", and the girl ran away from the window.

This is the same little girl I have asked to stop kicking the ball against the side of the house because it kept slamming into my screens and windows in the window well. When she did it again right after I went back into the house, I came running out and she had darted into her unit and bolted the door, leaving her ball in the window well. I retrieved the ball, went up her stairs and knocked on her door, asked her if this was her ball, and she took it and closed the door in my face. I was stupid. I should have just kept the ball.

I do not approve of latch-key kids that are that young. I do not approve of kids who have no respect for other people's property. I have no respect for parents who do not instill a basic sense of right and wrong in their children. I have no tolerance for rudeness, especially from children.

If the Mother of these children is home, she is in the car, on the cell phone. I can appreciate her situation - working and having kids, but that is no excuse for not teaching your children right from wrong, and basic politeness and respect for others and their property.

I expect a certain level of respect - child-to-elder, if nothing else.

The other neighbor's son who is about 15 or 16 is painfully polite and respectful. He will go far.

Oh, great, now she has the tv at full volume, and it is drowning out my tv. I stayed home with a headache today, and between the bouncing ball and now the blaring tv, I think I may have to have a word with the Mother. I am sure they all think I am a b1tch, but you know what, people who know me know that I am not. I feel sorry for these kids, but I should not have to suffer their rudeness. I could move, but that does not solve anything. Sigh. I need to go take some more medication and see if I can kick this pounding in my head.