Supernanny! My neighbors need you. Desperately.
Mood: slightly irritated
Listening to: Phil Collins: Wear my hat
Okay, so we're having a pool installed. It's no secret, and up until now the neighbors have done an excellent job of keeping their kids out of our yard. Up. Until. Now. The little fuckers.
The four year old she-devil from across the street, the four year old demon next door, and some 13 year old boy from down the road. I've never met him before. He was delightful. Delightful I say, especially when explaining to me that he followed the four year olds' lead and threw mud and stones into our pool. Into our POOL. Have I mentioned how much liners cost?? Because they aren't cheap. Fuckers.
Okay, I'll be the first to admit that my girls aren't perfect children, BUT they don't go out of their way to destroy other people's property. More's the pity and as much as I've encouraged them to. (Honey, go over to the neighbor's yard and pick her flowers for a change. Sweetie, why don't you put on your riveted jeans and slide down her van? Scratched paint is fun! Darlin', what say you drag an axe into the neighbor's yard and threaten her children?*** And yes, all three have happened to me. Often.)
Why is it that these kids feel that it's okay for them to destroy my stuff? What the hell is wrong with their parents that these kids think this is acceptable?? And the best part about the nextdoor neighbor's explanation? Apparently they were watching the neighbor across the street girl, she was playing with Beezlebub. They thought the kids were in the basement playroom. They had no idea where their son and their neighbor's child that they were also responsible for were. This isn't the first time.
Yes, I'm pissed about the rocks and mud and the possibility of having a rip in the liner, but what would have happened I wonder if we hadn't had the safety fence up?! As much as I cringe when I see the little bastards approaching the property line, I don't want them to drown or almost drown and end up brain damaged. I'm optimistic that they have something good to contribute to society. Probably after they pay their debts to society, but still... I don't want them dead.
But anyway, as long as we're clear on that point I'll continue with my point about their beautiful parents (and truly, the nexties? Beautiful. Excellent genes.) and their refusal to... to... to be freakin' parents! Look, I realize you want to protect your kids, but constantly making excuses for their behavior? Not cool, and not helping them. I loved how the first thing out of the mom's mouth was, well, obviously the little ones' followed the 13 year old's lead. Imagine her embarrassment when all the kids said, "Oh no, Mummy. We did it first. Then heee did it." Imagine my glee. Then imagine me looking at the 13 year old and biting my tongue. "Are you retarded?????" Ohh, I so wanted to say it. But then I've never met this boy before so he very well could have been and then that makes me the ass hole.
However, I will say that later that night after I'd called all the parents and used my teacher conference voice to explain our concern about the situation, that the 13 year old's dad walked him down the street and stood behind him while the boy apologized and offered to do whatever he could to make amends. Now that I can respect.
Oh, and he's not retarded.
*sigh*
Of course, the problem was more or "solved" when the concrete guys dumped a bunch of concrete in the water. Looks like we're getting our pool cleaned anyway.
*sigh* *again*
