AITA for not giving my neighbors soccer ball back, after he threw it onto my 3rd floor apartment balcony, which he kicks against the side of the apartment all day?
One person from Reddit is grappling with a neighborly dispute that escalated when their downstairs neighbor’s son repeatedly kicked a soccer ball against the walls and ceiling, causing disruptions that made it impossible for them to sleep during their night shifts.
After the soccer ball ended up on their third-floor balcony, they decided not to return it, leading to relentless knocking at their door. Now, they’re questioning whether their actions are justified or if they’ve crossed a line. Read the original story below.
‘ AITA for not giving my neighbors soccer ball back, after he threw it onto my 3rd floor apartment balcony, which he kicks against the side of the apartment all day?’
A little context. I live on the 3rd floor of an apartment building and the family below me has a little boy who loves to kick his soccer ball around ALL DAY. He kicks it against the side of the building, against the inside walls of his apartment, slams it into the ceiling (my floor), and throws it onto the roof.
This isn’t just loud; it shakes my entire apartment. I work a night shift, and this makes it impossible for me to sleep. By chance, he kicked his soccer ball onto my balcony, and I just haven’t given it back. It’s been two days, and he has been knocking on my door continuously for those two days.
He knocked (beat) on my door for two hours straight today, and at least once every hour after that. The thing is, I can sleep through someone knocking on my door, I can’t sleep through my apartment shaking. I was finally able to sleep a full 8 hours today and I really don’t want that to go away. AITA?
Take a look at the comments from fellow users:
Ready-Training-2192 − NTA. One day I heard my back gate slam shut. I went outside to see the neighbor kids running into their yard with their ball. I went next door and told their mom what happened, and said next time they could ask me to get their ball, because I didn’t want them around my dogs, or accidentally letting them out.
She said her boys were never in my yard. Okay… A few days later I came home from work to find my back gate open and my dogs gone. The gate must not have been open for very long, since it only took me 45 minutes to find them half a mile away.
After I got them in the yard, I had another conversation with their mom during which she again told me her boys were not in my yard. I went straight to the hardware store, bought a lock and fitted it. The next day, I came home and found a ball in my backyard. I brought it in the house, stabbed it with a pair of scissors and threw it in the garbage.
About ten minutes later, my neighbor came over and asked for her boys’ ball. I said I hadn’t seen it, to which she said they had kicked it over the fence into my yard. I said, “I haven’t seen their ball, just like they didn’t come into my yard without permission and let my dogs out.” She walked away without saying a word, and she never spoke to me again for two years until I moved. Bliss.. Long story short, f**k them kids.
LoveBeach8 − INFO. Why haven’t you contacted management about the incessant noise? This doesn’t sound like an interpersonal conflict. EDIT: Where is the interpersonal conflict, though? Have you had a conversation with the kid or his parents? Or have you just been ignoring him when he knocks or rings your doorbell?
Unable_Cherry_8495 − Whilst i understand your frustration and how annoying it must be, no communication has been made on your end to the family or management of this which i think is a must.
I will still say NTA in this instance as there is no consideration nor discipline from the child or parents in this case. It is not fair youre not able to get a good sleep because of an undisciplined kid.
Special_Lychee_6847 − You sound like a very laid back, considerate person. If it’s feasible, here’s a solution: Get the kid the cheapest, thrifted soccer goal you can find. Put it somewhere where his playing won’t bother you. You’d be the hero, and one that can sleep, during the day. And you wouldn’t feel bad, which is a win for you as well.
Other DIY stuff that might work, is a wooden board with holes in it. A number of ‘points’ painted aove each hole, so when he shoots the ball and it passes through a hole, he scores x points. You might be contributing to him getting incredibly good at it.. Anyway, NTA Hope you continue to get some undisturbed sleep
audible_smiles − Have you attempted to talk to the adults in the apartment? That’s the obvious first option.
inMX − I had a problem some years ago with the neighbours kids kicking the ball into my back yard. Immediately it happened they would run to my house and hammer on the front door (sounding like a police raid!) and asking for their ball back. I told them I’m busy at the moment, but I’ll throw it back over shortly.
After a while, the mother knocks on the door and repeats the request and I repeat my answer stating – if the ball comes into my yard I’ll throw it back when convenient to me. If it comes over again the SAME day, they’ll get the ball back the following day.
Next time the ball comes over, the father appears at my door, wanting me to fetch the ball immediately. I again repeated what I had told his wife. He wasn’t happy, and walked away shouting “And if you don’t keep your \*\*\*\*\*\*\* cat out of my yard, I’ll make a Davy-Crockett hat out of it”. Which would be a good trick, considering I didn’t own a cat!
m1ngey − Pop it and throw it back down to the yard.
Glittering_Search_41 − NTA, but only if you’ve already tried speaking with the boy and/or his parents. Glad he is playing outside but surely there is somewhere else to kick a ball besides against someone’s apartment? No parks in the area? The school?
Captain_Blue_Tech − NTA, kid needs to learn things don’t always go your way especially if your causing problems for others, “but it’s stealing” don’t care, That ball would be popped and in the trash if it were me. In the wise words of Michael Jordan F them kids.
First_Grapefruit_326 − NTA. I feel you. The kid isn’t doing this at midnight, so management and the parents probably won’t do anything, yet you deserve sleep. All of these people saying it’s “stealing” are nuts. The kid kicked the ball into your space, you didn’t go out and bring the ball into your space.
Yet by you holding the ball, you are finally able to get some good sleep. Sleep and peace that you’ve been e**itled to all along and nobody else knows you’re missing. It’s getting time to communicate differently.
It’s inevitable that he’ll either get a new ball, or you’ll run into him/parents and they’ll ask for it back.. This is your planning time. I think you should ask them to limit him to a couple of hours/day because it disturbs your sleep. Maybe be between 3-5 pm.
It’s absolutely not fair for you to need to hear that racket all the time. Also. Soccer balls are very hard and thus louder. You might ask the parents to limit him to a new (cheap) rubber ball that you give back to them. The rubber will be quieter and ask for this as part of your compromise.
Do you think the Redditor’s decision to keep the soccer ball is a justified response to their noisy neighbor, or do you think they should have returned it regardless of the noise? How would you handle a situation with noisy neighbors? Share your thoughts below!