GET OUT OF MY YARD!

Sometimes, I wonder where it all went wrong.

I think it's fair by first stating that I am that cranky old lady who does not like anyone in her yard.  I grew up in the country, no one walked through my yard.  In turn, as I walk through town, I never walk through someone's yard.  I use the sidewalk and when (like at my house) there is not one, I use the street.  I do not walk in people's yards and I certainly do not touch their things.  Ok, disclaimer over.

A little bit ago I heard Daisy in the window barking.  Usually this means a dog (or a person walking a dog), a rabbit, cat or squirrel is in front of the house - but that's a "oh please let me out to play with them" bark.   This bark was different.  It was a "get out of my yard!" bark so I went to look.

I get to the window, pet her and as I am starting to say "What's the matter, girl?" as I look up I see a lady with an empty wagon and her child (around 3, I'm guessing) IN my yard playing with Parker's deflated inflatable ghost. 

Oh yes, I see the problem.  I tell Daisy, "Good girl" and slip on my shoes to go outside.  I fake a smile and go up to the little boy and say, "Hey buddy!" (in my super friendly kid voice) "Can you do me a favor and please do not touch those?"

>In flies his Momma.<  Who starts to yell at me (you'll love this) about my DOG barking!  She's actually YELLING at me because my dog is barking at her kid.  Um, yes, her kid who is IN MY YARD TOUCHING OUR INFLATABLES.  Right, bad dog?  Uh, no!!  Bad her for letting her kid in my yard and touching my things.  Sheesh! 

So I let her yell & point at my dog inside still in the window (and now REALLY barking her angry bark and pawing at the window) for a minute about how out of control and scary she is.  I told her that my dog is doing her job, protecting her yard.  This is HER yard.  It is MY yard.  It is not a park.  It is not a place you can just walk into and touch and play with whatever is in it.  That is NOT why I have things in my yard.

As she starts to yell more, I calmly point out that her son is clearly not at all upset by my barking dog as the barking did not stop him from coming into my yard and touching our things.  She said, "That's because I told him it was OK"  Well, way to go, mom.  Encourage your child to walk into a barking dogs yard and touch other people's things. I do not at all foresee that ever going badly.

I said, "You really shouldn't do that.  People's yards are their property.  Everything in my yard is mine, it is on my property. It is not here for you to touch and play with and do as you please.  I would appreciate it, as I am sure ALL of my neighbors would, if you did not touch the things in my yard."

Her response... HER RESPONSE...???  To yell at me more about my barking dog.  Shake my head.

My reply, "I do hope you realize my dog will get a treat and praise when I get inside for doing her job"

She mumbled something unfriendly, I'm sure calling me a name or something, under her breath - took her son and left.

I know pretty much everyone who walks down our street.  It's rare to get someone I don't know.  I'm hoping she doesn't take this street again... if she thought the dog was viscous while barking - she'd want to tazer Parker for the fit he would throw if he witnessed this!!  These inflatables are his everything.

The deflated inflatables and my great protector in the window
also known as "temptation" and "evil protector"

I do not, at all, understand people's way of thinking.  When did our society become so entitled?  When did they lose sight of that line of respect?  Or the line between right and wrong?  You are raising the next generation of our future.  Teach them boundaries, respect - for others and themselves.

I don't understand yelling at someone instead of talking to them.  Whether I am right or wrong, you get further (well or nowhere as in my case today) by staying calm.  (I'm hoping in hindsight she'll reflect on that and get it.)


You don't get to make up the rules as you go along.  You don't get to touch everything you want out of curiosity.  My children, even my son who has a more difficult time with comprehension due to his disability, both understand we don't just walk into someone's yard or house and touch things.  We ask.  We observe from afar and appreciate. I would never encourage my child to just walk into someone's yard, especially if they had a barking dog, and play with something that isn't theirs.


Maybe I am just too old and cranky to get it.  Or maybe I was raised by a generation who still understood respect.  Thank you, mom and dad.  Thank you. I will pass this on to my children (the respect, not the crankiness), I promise.