Had the Sheriff Called on Me Today....

While driving home,almost at our house (accross the ally),I noticed three teenagers laying (lieing?) in the street,on their backs.I slowed down,parked in front of our house,got out,& asked them -"Are you stupid? - GET out of the road!",& "I don't want to see you get-hit". I went out to the garage,& witin a few minutes,heard a knockon the door.It was the grandmother of these "gifted" children. She asked me if I called her granchildren "stupid",to which I replied-"Yes - that's what they were".She also told me that she'd call the cops,ifI did that again,to which I replied "they can't do anything". A little while later,a County Sheriff's Sergent,& a Deputy show up,& ask me if I did the previous things,to which I replied - "Yes - they were stupid". The Deputy suggested to me that I shouldn't use the word "stupid" ( or any other-derogertory term),when talking to them. He also told me that they said that they "Were looking at the stars" - it was-daylight,& the sky was overcast. We've lived here for over 35 years,& are still paying for our house,while they'vejust been here for a few years,& are renting,& probably being subsidieds by the gov't. WHY would anyone call the cops over a trivial matter like that? - Dougterm to

One might think grandma is also "gifted". It seems she thinks sitting in the road is OK.

Cause they were stupid.

In similar instances (yeah, it ain't different anyplace ya go) after a "child confrontation" about standing defiantly in the streets, I've called the Sheriff's dep't dispatch FIRST. When the deputy shows, I explain the issue from the point of "child safety" and the perps & parents get a counseling session from The Law. Then there's no problem 'til the next batch of "precious snowflakes" comes along and thinks they own the planet and all that's in it.

We've been in th' hovel since '85, had to establish the rep as "that crazy VeetNaam vet" about once every few years. The neighborhood adults in most cases have warned the li'l darlings not to mess with my stuff, as I have both surveillance cameras, alarm systems and weapons. And NO compunction to be forgiving. We've a new batch just moved in a couple doors down, I expect the three early teen males will need to be 'counseled' soon. They've started to use the next-door neighbor's driveway for their MMA horsesqueeze while she's at work.

There are more productive ways to handle a situation like this than to verbally demean the kids from the outset and then continue into a confrontational exchange with the grandmother. I have to agree with the deputy...your approach was counter-productive.

The cynical viewpoint says that they might also be looking to build a pattern to try to get money from you by suing and offering to settle for the "emotional damage" to their offspring. Being able to show having called the police due to "harrassing" behavior could be used as evidence.

AngliaGT said:

WHY would anyone call the cops over a trivial matter like that? - Dougterm to

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That's not what gets me, it's what the cops said that bothers me.

Either way, the answer is the same.....because it's Kalifornia?

DrEntropy said:

In similar instances (yeah, it ain't different anyplace ya go) after a "child confrontation" about standing defiantly in the streets, I've called the Sheriff's dep't dispatch FIRST. When the deputy shows, I explain the issue from the point of "child safety" and the perps & parents get a counseling session from The Law. Then there's no problem 'til the next batch of "precious snowflakes" comes along and thinks they own the planet and all that's in it.

We've been in th' hovel since '85, had to establish the rep as "that crazy VeetNaam vet" about once every few years. The neighborhood adults in most cases have warned the li'l darlings not to mess with my stuff, as I have both surveillance cameras, alarm systems and weapons. And NO compunction to be forgiving. We've a new batch just moved in a couple doors down, I expect the three early teen males will need to be 'counseled' soon. They've started to use the next-door neighbor's driveway for their MMA horsesqueeze while she's at work.

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Agreed, "going ugly early" pays off in the long run. Folks know before hand and nobody bothers no one.

"Going ugly early" .... :thumbsup: Works up north too. Recently my peace & quiet was shattered by some misguided youths. I tried to accept it, then I tried the cops. Nope, moving on to Plan Steve... No more outbursts since. Wife was embarrassed, good neighbor was worried, I've been happy as a clam since. **** with the bull, get the horns, even the slowest understand the concept.

My less malignant term would be: "applied psychology." It just looks ugly to the recipients. But it has been highly effective, so far.

Poser

It is just a bad situation all round. Years ago while working Police you could haul the kids home and the fear was instilled. Now the kids are raised with no respect for anyone's privacy or property let alone a persons rights. The training now believes kids have rights that were never in the books before and parents will sue over supposedly rights. I use the Police with intentions of child endangerment by parents, Parents are in charge, kid does something "stupid" assumed parent knows call in for child endangerment DCFS takes over. Then I am a real butt head but then there is peace in the valley. Once parents find they will be incarcerated over their "stupid" kid all gets wiser.

Kids aint the problem here; the adults are. I do have two pesky little bastages that take fat pine and limbs outta my yard but I can't prove it. I was good friends with their grandfather so I guess they don't see any harm (lotta folks here think they know me well enough that, "He won't mind" but if they really knew me... they'd know to ask first.)


Folks leave us be for the most part and I couldn't be happier.

I aint anti social... I just don't like people.

Here's my recipe for trouble free yutes:

Befriend them, be cool and they will police each other. The worse off a kid is, the better of an ally he will become. If something ever happens, he'll be able to find out who did it. I can't tell you how many times my #1 has been bale to help me out with things and information I otherwise wouldn't have access to.


Be cool with them and they'll be cool with you. If someone becomes uncool, they'll handle it amongst themselves. Some of these kids are neglected and/or abused, step in, be there for them and make a difference. Befriend a child and when he's grown, he'll look out for you when you can't. :wink: Lotta single moms out there with more than they can handle, step up and help out and there won't be any trouble. Kids gotta enough authority in their lives, what they need is protection, guidance and an ally. You won' really have to go out of your way, just simple friendly conversations with the kids. "In order for a man to have friends, he must be friendly." They won't be cool with you unless you're cool with them.

"For as a man sows, so shall he reap..."......

Guys, you know the drill, use it to your advantage. Challenge them and you'll drive each other nuts, befriend them and you can use them to drive other people nuts.

Agreed, in the long run making allies out of kids works better. Did that years ago with the kids next door when I bought the house. They were never distructive, but the little things like bikes in the yard, balls over the fence and so on. As long as they weren't breaking things I pretty much ignored it or asked that they be a bit more careful. And if they stuck their heads in the garage when I was working, were free to ask what I was doing and why. Now as adults I can say I never had any issues with them.

DrEntropy said:

In similar instances (yeah, it ain't different anyplace ya go) after a "child confrontation" about standing defiantly in the streets, I've called the Sheriff's dep't dispatch FIRST. When the deputy shows, I explain the issue from the point of "child safety" and the perps & parents get a counseling session from The Law. Then there's no problem 'til the next batch of "precious snowflakes" comes along and thinks they own the planet and all that's in it.

We've been in th' hovel since '85, had to establish the rep as "that crazy VeetNaam vet" about once every few years. The neighborhood adults in most cases have warned the li'l darlings not to mess with my stuff, as I have both surveillance cameras, alarm systems and weapons. And NO compunction to be forgiving. We've a new batch just moved in a couple doors down, I expect the three early teen males will need to be 'counseled' soon. They've started to use the next-door neighbor's driveway for their MMA horsesqueeze while she's at work.

Click to expand...

What's a "MMA horsesqueeze"?

(Gesundheit! )

Popeye said:

What's a "MMA horsesqueeze"?

(Gesundheit! )

Click to expand...

Ummm... Portnoy's Complaint comes to mind....

Kellysguy has it right...it does work to make kids your friends. AND it actually becomes enjoyable

GaryBeu said:

Kellysguy has it right...it does work to make kids your friends. AND it actually becomes enjoyable

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Especially when you use them to drive other people nuts...

Sorry,but I can't/won't make these kids heros/friends-
I'm not that kind of person (when I've had enough,I speak my-
mind).
This is a household with grandmother/mother/mother's boyfriend/-
& four granddaughters,plus other renters/granddaughters boyfriends
hanging around.
This an HUD type of household,where the landlord gets his rent,
while the tenants pay nearly nothing to be there.They pay something like
$50,& the gov't picks up the rest.
Guess what kind of people rent it?

- Doug