WIBTA For planting prickly bushes in my front yard to keep the neighbours kids from my property?

A Redditor is struggling with their neighbors’ young children constantly trespassing on their property and disturbing their work-from-home routine. Despite polite requests to keep the kids away, the neighbors seem unfazed, leaving the Redditor feeling frustrated and considering planting prickly bushes along the edge of their yard as a deterrent. They wonder if this would make them the jerk or if it’s a fair way to reclaim their space. Read their full story below.

‘ WIBTA For planting prickly bushes in my front yard to keep the neighbours kids from my property?’

The article has the next update at the end.

I moved into a detached townhouse a few months ago. It’s a rental, I’m leasing it for a year with the option to extend that with a second year or possibly buy the house. My driveway is right next to the neighbours’, it big enough to fit 2 regular sized cars and halfway down my driveway there’s a path leading around my house., on side side of the path is my house on the other sides about 3m of yard , that’s mine.. ​

Ever since I moved in I’ve been having issues with the neighbours using my driveway for parking, turning their cars, storing their other stuff, playing, etc etc. Asking them to stop using it and keep their items on their own property has not worked, so I placed a few large plants, installed a camera and a no trespassing sign, and that helped a bit. At least the cars are gone.

The last few weeks with the ‘stay home’ advice, I’ve been working from home, but the neighbours kids are making that really hard. They’re about 5 and 7, boys, and they keep ringing my doorbell multiple times a day to ask if they can play with my dog, if I want to play with them or anything else they can think of. I asked them to stop it so I can work, which of course didn’t work, so I asked their parents, and was told boys will be boys and they weren’t going to do anything about it :(.

To keep my sanity intact I removed the battery from the doorbell but now they keep running around in my front yard, on the path around the house, banging on my windows, banging on my doors and actually tried to open the gate to my backyard this morning as they heard me in there. I once again asked them to stop, told them I will not be allowing them to play with the dog anymore at all if they keep this up and they left, sending over their dad.

I told him to keep the boys away from my property and door, if not, I’ll be planting some prickly bushes to teach them to stay away from other people’s property and shut the door in his face.. ​. WIBTA if I actually did that?. ​
I’d love to place a fence or something, but as it may be a short term rental I have to be able to return everything in it’s original state for now.

Next update: https://aita.pics/zmYsi

Take a look at the comments from fellow users:

awaysaway23 −  NTA – their parents are lazy and sound like they just want to make you a free babysitter. “Boys will be boys” smh.

Mirianda666 −  NTA. These parents are jerks. Be petty and install a motion-sensor that sets off a sprinkler system.

nkdeck07 −  NTA and don’t plant bushes, call the damn cops. Also there are no dig fence panels that would work perfectly for your situation.You also might want to contact the landlord and see if they are willing to install a fence. I am a landlord and I wouldn’t want random kids coming onto the property and would be very willing to help out.

Master-Manipulation −  NTA. But the better idea would be to call the non-emergency number for the police and ask an officer to come down to talk to the kids and the parents, plus issue them a warning. Sometimes you need a figure of authority to explain things in order to have your needs met.

PEST1LENCE_77 −  NTA big spikey ones. Maybe even cacti.

ketita −  NTA. The parents are lazy and not bothering to parent. You deserve to live hassle-free.

Destroya923 −  NTA – You know what those parents and those bushes have in common? They both have little pricks. Ok, that was my little joke, not a really good one but whatever. Seriously, those parents seriously need to keep their kids under control. They shouldn’t be running around on your property bothering you and banging on the windows and s**t. The parents are definitely at fault for this. You definitely wouldn’t be the a**hole for this, it’s your property.

rattus-domestica −  NTA are you f**king kidding? This would drive me f**king insane. You haven’t called the cops yet? Isn’t this trespassing?

Idejbfp −  NTA but stop giving them anything and don’t allow them to play with your dog. If they get rewards they’ll keep doing it.

[Reddit User] −  The only assholes are the parents for not teaching their kids respect. Boys will be boys but parents should be parents abd teaching them how to be a man as they grow up.
Plant them. You’ve already given warning they’d be there, if they get hurt beyond this point because they trespassed on your property you can’t really be blamed imo.. Good luck and stay safe.