WDYT re: Neighborhood Kids

Princess_Lily

Our neighborhood finally has children DS's age (4-6yo), and all of the kids seem to get along.

Now, since DS is only 4yo I don't feel comfortable yet letting him bike ride or run though our neighborhood alone without parent supervision. Our area is quite safe, but DS just seems to be too young for unsupervised activities. Plus although the streets can be quiet, looks are deceiving, and drivers speed around the blind corners where we live - about 6yrs ago a baby in a stroller was hit by a car in our neighborhood. I have also warned the new parents in passing JIC, since I have lived here a while (7yrs).

The neighborhood's parents do allow for their children to run through the neighborhood - biking, playing in the street, etc. without supervision. Their home is an open door, and let their children come and go, which is fine, its just not how our family works. We try to be respectful of our neighbors, and make sure the kids ask their parents before they come over too, and I've swapped numbers with some, but they don't really seem to care. I never see the parents out.

I do think we need some internal unspoken rules in place though - I don't want to be the cantankerous mom, ya know? But when we got a knock on the door, and the all the kids were running & playing in our home on Christmas morning (10:00a) - I thought it was time.

DS has some difficulties (which we are working on improving) which make transitions quite difficult. I noticed when out with DS & DD, meltdowns can get unmanageable & nervewracking right now. So, for safety reasons, I'm wondering if its unreasonable to:

A.) On the front door, we leave a green (OK to knock) or red (Do not knock) rubber band, to limit times of play invites.

B.) When daddy is home, DS can bike ride outside with friends while daddy or I supervise, and one of us will stay inside with DD. If Daddy isn't home, the kids could play in our home, but no outdoor play unless its in our yard.

I would speak with the parents, but I never see them and they don't seem to have rules for their children, like I need for my son. When DS is older, around 7yo, yes he doesn't need these rules, but he's only 4.

Wdyt?

MirandaHobbes

I think we live in the same neighborhood! I struggle with this as well, although the neighbor kids don't come in our house. NFW would I let kids in the house Christmas morning. Our neighbors will knock on the door and ask if DS wants to come out and play and I'm the cantankerous Mom who won't let him go out unless DH or I is available to come out and supervise. DS is 5 and the kids are 6, 8, and 9. The other problem for us is that the kids are usually riding their bikes, which DS doesn't enjoy, and we were the mean people on the block who put up a privacy fence, so they all think we're just standoffish. While I love living in the city, sometimes I wonder if we're more suited for the suburbs..