Yard sharing?

[rafiki]

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[myfunnybunch]

As long as the families know each other well and the parents can see their kids, I think it sounds lovely.

 

Cat

[KS_]

Do you use your neighbor's yard or let your kid's do this when they are not home or outside?

 

We have several families in our neighborhood who don't mind using other people's yards when they are either not home or outside. Some have toddlers and just let them wander, play with other people play equipment, toys, water tables, etc. One of the dc's parents will be with them, but all have been comfortable enough to sit on the porch while their kids play in their neighbor's yard with things that do not belong to them. I've even seen this with older kids and parents, using neighbor's yards as an extension of their own, or checking out what they are doing around the house without them being home. :confused:

 

I've had neighbor's say to me, your kids may use our playground any time they'd like, but I have never taken them up on it, unless our kids are playing together and one of us is with them.

 

Do you find it a bit strange?

 

Adding these are single family homes, each with their own yard.

 

I wouldn't be comfortable with it, but I'm also not one of those people who likes having all the neighborhood kids over in my yard all the time, either. I definitely wouldn't want them playing in my yard if my kids weren't out there with them.

[Guest]

If the families have said it's okay, then I wouldn't care if I saw kids playing in someone's yard (although I wouldn't let my kids do it, unless I was close with the owner), but if I knew the owner had no clue, that isn't right.

[skywards]

I park my extra vehicle in my neighbors driveway and frequently move things around in their yard. However, they are not currently living there but will be moving back shortly, and we live in a 'questionable' area, so by parking the truck there and moving their garbage cans around and mowing such, it looks more inhabited and makes a less easy target for vandalism. I would never be so rude as to let children run amok on someone elses property without permission!

[Dawn in OH]

I don't think I would like that one bit. It's one thing if I'm there, my kids are playing in the yard, and they ask if they can play with us. But people using my yard without my consent and when we are not outside would bother me. But I am a private person and like my space.

[cougarmom4]

Actually, it drives me crazy when our neighbor kids play in our yard. If they were friends/(even friendly) to my kids, or if my kids were playing together with them even occasionally, it would be no big deal. But to have kids that want nothing to do with my kids playing on our swingset, using our soccer goal, hitting a baseball into our yard every 2 minutes...well, I just don't like it. And I can't imagine letting my kids do so with someone else's yard/belongings...unless I was close friends with them and we had an arrangement in place.

 

By the way...we now have a privacy fence so most of our neighbor issues have been taken care of! Yippee!

[Parrothead]

I wouldn't have a problem with it as long as I wasn't trying to sleep (or dh who works shifts). Or if it wasn't done sneakily - like the neighbor has no idea the kids are playing there.

[happi duck]

I would not want anyone in our yard while we weren't home. If we are home, I'd like to be asked about playing in the yard. I'd be concerned that a child could wander over, get hurt and no one would be there to help.

[springmama]

I think it just depends on the layout of the properties and the kind of relationship that the neighbors have with each other. If I were good friends with my neighbor and there were no clear divisions between properties (fence, tree line, etc) then I would have no problem with their kids running onto my property to play.

 

I imagine for some, it must be terribly confusing for a child to see really cool slides, swings, and other play equipment just a few feet away without being able to use them.

[HappyCrazyMama]

Yes, I think it is strange and wouldn't like it.

[HeidiKC]

:iagree:

As long as the families know each other well and the parents can see their kids, I think it sounds lovely.

 

Cat

[Julie in Monterey]

Our neighbors used to have a trampoline that my kids were invited anytime they were home (or not). They since have gotten rid of theirs (it was rusted and not safe any longer). Now we have the trampoline and their kids have the same deal at our house. All kids are respectful of the others yard and property. I think it is a great way to build a safe and healthy community.

[angela in ohio]

We did this when I was a kid. We lived in a subdivision on the outskirts of a small town. There were about ten houses down each side of the street, on a dead end. The last four houses on our side and three on the other side all had kids, and we just roamed freely through all the yards. It was great. :001_smile:

 

We have a much bigger "yard" here, so our kiddos have more room without needing the neighbors'. We have older folks on one side who are very particular about their laws, so we steer clear. They talk to dc nicely when they are out, but I wouldnt dream of stepping into their yard. We have a family on the other side who we share things with. They have a trampoline and a playset, we have the pool, so we share back and forth. Next to them is another older man with a neat lawn, so we stop there. Behind us are about 40 acres of field, and I thought they would want to roam that, but they don't. I don't think they're done exploring our property yet. :001_smile:

[Melissa in Australia]

Here in Australia EVERYONE has a fence.

I actually cannot imagine living somewhere with no fence and having kids wondering through everyone else's yard.

[catz]

Honestly, this is really common on our urban neighborhood, where yards are small and it's a tight knit community. It doesn't bother me at all. I'm glad my kids have many friends to play with at their disposal. People are well mannered about it though and it's just families we know well.

[Wheres Toto]

I would not want anyone in our yard while we weren't home. If we are home, I'd like to be asked about playing in the yard. I'd be concerned that a child could wander over, get hurt and no one would be there to help.

:iagree:

I'm sure there are also liability issues if a child comes into your yard and is hurt on something like a trampoline or pool - attractive nuisance laws usually mean that you have to limit access or you are responsible for injuries.

 

If the families know each other and have agreed to this kind of arrangement, I guess I would be okay with it. I find the idea of strange parents and children wandering into my yard when I'm not home or I'm doing something inside kind of creepy. I'd hate to walk out of the shower wrapped in a towel and see some kid looking in our window. We have large, uncurtained windows overlooking our yard but noone can see in them unless they are actually in our yard and there's acres of woods behind that.

[duckens]

All of the neighborhood kids running through yards together and playing together sounds wonderful.

 

However, if someone is not home, there ARE liability laws. Even if you do not give permission to for someone to play on your equipment, if someone gets hurt, you are liable. Do you want to pay for someone else's kid's broken arm because the kid was climbing YOUR tree rather than the perfectly good tree in their own yard? That is why I would not want other kids playing in our yard if I was not present.

 

I also try to teach kids (mine and babysitting/nannying), "If it doesn't belong to you, you don't TOUCH it!" I have this policy because of all of the "adults" I have met that don't understand this concept. I think this policy of having my children play in others' yards when the owners are not present would confuse this issue.

[littlebug42]

I would hate it. I loathe all of the newer homes around here that are built on a footprint that looks like everyone has one big communal back yard. I will never live in another home without a fenced back yard, a privacy fence would be preferable.

 

I live in an urban area and before we moved in, all of the neighbors joined together to fence their back yards and block access to the alleyway from the front so the constant stream of people through the yards would stop.

[hsbaby]

When all of the kids are out playing together they tend to roam from yard to yard...which is fine with me. I'll admit, though, it took me a while to get used to no fences. Where we lived before, everyone had a privacy fence. Here, everyone lives on 1+ acre lots with no fences. Now that I am accustomed to it, I find it SO nice that the kids can all play in the backyards without running through the house. That said, I do not want kids over here using the playset when we aren't around. Weird and, as many others have said, a liability. I don't mind however, if they are playing ball or something and use a bit of our land.....the yard is big enough that it's not like they are in close proximity to our house or windows.

[rfhsmom]

I also try to teach kids (mine and babysitting/nannying), "If it doesn't belong to you, you don't TOUCH it!" I have this policy because of all of the "adults" I have met that don't understand this concept. I think this policy of having my children play in others' yards when the owners are not present would confuse this issue.

 

:iagree: I believe that kids need to learn that even though that is shiny, fun looking play equipment it does not belong to them. I do have to admit that I would like to take my neighbors shiny, fun-looking sports car for a spin though!!!!:lol:

[The*A*Team]

We live in the suburbs of Atlanta. The houses in our subdivision are not super close, but close enough that all of the kids play together. My door bell is ringing all.day.long from kids wanting to play, lol... However we have a nice large wooden playset and my next door neighbor has a nice trampoline so we have a standing agreement that the kids can play on it anytime. No need to ask, etc... Our neighborhood is extremely kid friendly, kids playing up and down the street, in the cul de sac, and in the yards or in the creek and woods behind all of our houses. Kids are always back in my woods and in the shallow creek playing. There are times when I wish that kids weren't ringing my doorbell or playing at my house...however, really for my kids and their friends to grow up playing with friends and all of us knowing each other very well, it is worth it!

 

Our subdivision also has a pool, it is right across the street from my house. All of the neighbors bring tons of pool toys and they are pretty much community property at the pool. You just write your name on everything and it usually gets returned to you if someone else is playing with it when you want to leave.

 

Christina

[nono]

I would not be comfortable with someone coming over and playing with my kids' toys without playing with my kids too. :) But, if they are playing something like Hide 'n' Seek or Kick the Can, sure, they can use our place for hiding spots. :thumbup:

[Gooblink]

I don't have a problem with it. We've had kids (immediate neighbors) in our front yard climbing the tree, but they've never ventured into the back yard which is fenced. I think their parents may have put a stop to the tree climbing, though, because it's been a long time since they've been here. Usually all our kids are out playing together, but I don't mind of neighbors kids are in our yard. We've been given permission to use our neighbor's trampoline and another neighbor's basketball hoop, but my kids don't feel comfortable unless their kids are there, too. :)

[duckens]

We've had kids (immediate neighbors) in our front yard climbing the tree, but they've never ventured into the back yard which is fenced. I think their parents may have put a stop to the tree climbing, though, because it's been a long time since they've been here.

I had a friend that the opposite happened.

 

He was climbing a tree in his own yard as a kid, and his grandpa (live-in) said, "Son, I know that you are a boy and boys climb trees, but it makes your mother nervous; so if you could please go two or three houses down and climb the tree where your mother can't see you out the window...."

[angela in ohio]

I had a friend that the opposite happened.

 

He was climbing a tree in his own yard as a kid, and his grandpa (live-in) said, "Son, I know that you are a boy and boys climb trees, but it makes your mother nervous; so if you could please go two or three houses down and climb the tree where your mother can't see you out the window...."

 

That is hysterical! More boys need grandpas like that. :001_smile:

[BeeBop]

Our neighbors have a beautiful inground pool. They always say to us, "We keep the gate unlocked, please come over and swim whenever you want!". We're friendly with these neighbors, go to their house for parties and such...but I would never go swimming without them home. Really, I would never go swimming in their pool unless they were swimming too.