Neighbours/Paranoia

[Tally]

A family in my street often let their 2 girls play outside the front of the houses, riding their bikes up and down. If I go outside I normally smile and say hello as I pass them, but they have never replied and normally stare at me and then run away, so I just carry on. Then their mum started calling them in every time I came outside. Now the girls have started running away back into their house as soon as I open the front door. On Sunday I went to the shop and the mum was in her front garden chatting with the girls. I said hello as I passed and they fell silent and did not reply. After I had passed they burst out laughing.

 

I don't know if I am being paranoid or if this is a genuinely weird way to behave. And if I am not being paranoid, I dread to think what I have done to scare them so much! I just want to get on with my neighbours, but it does not seem to be going very well.

[Karen A]

A family in my street often let their 2 girls play outside the front of the houses, riding their bikes up and down. If I go outside I normally smile and say hello as I pass them, but they have never replied and normally stare at me and then run away, so I just carry on. Then their mum started calling them in every time I came outside. Now the girls have started running away back into their house as soon as I open the front door. On Sunday I went to the shop and the mum was in her front garden chatting with the girls. I said hello as I passed and they fell silent and did not reply. After I had passed they burst out laughing.

 

I don't know if I am being paranoid or if this is a genuinely weird way to behave. And if I am not being paranoid, I dread to think what I have done to scare them so much! I just want to get on with my neighbours, but it does not seem to be going very well.

 

It is probably nothing to do with you.Unfortunately some children behave in ways that are unhelpful [ to put it politely] because they have learned from their parents.

Karen.

[Mumble]

I dread to think what I have done to scare them so much!

It was probably trying on your Halloween costume in broad daylight...

 

Neighbours are strange - there's an assumption of being neighbourly, but actually I don't think this applies so much nowadays, particularly when people move around much more and homes aren't homes for life. If they can't be friendly, perhaps a well-timed 'trick' for Halloween is in order...

[call me jaded]

There is a fair bit of paranoia about sure enough. I tend to make small talk with parents first before saying anything at all to children, even the ones in my children's classes at primary school. My children have definitely been given the message (from school) that people are out there trying to groom them, even my seven year old. Having said that there was an attempted abduction from my daughter's secondary school a few weeks into the term and it was a Y7 girl who he approached. She got away and they caught him, thankfully. So it was a reminder to us all to be vigilant.

[trekster]

It is possible that they didnt get on well in the previous neighbourhood and are so suspicious of neighbours.

My male neighbour who lives opposite fell out with previous neighbours so moved in this block. Either him or

the lady below him are keeping me awake until 3am with their washing machine running! After 2 months and so

little sleep im going to put a note through his door tomorrow after the female one verbally attacked me over

a polite note sent to her. i often think my neighbours are talking about me behind my back and i was right last time.

 

If it helps Tally i have problems with my neighbours who i often think are trying to avoid me. i tend

to waffle on without realising it or im not able to star conversations with them.

[Tally]

I did chat to the mum on the day I was moving in. She seemed nice and friendly. She noticed I had cats and said it was safe around here for cats and was nice and peaceful. There is a house inbetween my direct neighbours and hers, my nextdoor neighbours are not particularly peaceful! I have not bumped into the dad outside at all and I have not seen the mum since then either. I have said hello to the children when I walked past on the pavement. I didn't stop to talk to them or say anything more than literally, "hello." Even from a distance, I don't think this could possibly have looked like I was attempting to befriend the children, because all I did was smile, say one word, and carry on walking. I don't think they would have laughed if they thought I may be planning to sexually abuse their children. But the laughing was a one-off and may have nothing to do with me anyway.

[Bluesbreaker]

Don't worry about it, our street doesn't even talk to each other! we have one short term let house on our left, then a lovely elderly German lady on the right, who is very nice, says hello if she isn't too tired or worn out and I also nip round and help her if she has a TV phone or DIY problem

 

however, despite that i am well known and liked in our street, often being called a 'true gentleman' by many neighbours.

 

you win some and you lose some, its just one of those thing unfortunately, bit like trying to make friends, if you get me.

[justine1]

Don't worry about it, our street doesn't even talk to each other! we have one short term let house on our left, then a lovely elderly German lady on the right, who is very nice, says hello if she isn't too tired or worn out and I also nip round and help her if she has a TV phone or DIY problem

 

however, despite that i am well known and liked in our street, often being called a 'true gentleman' by many neighbours.

 

you win some and you lose some, its just one of those thing unfortunately, bit like trying to make friends, if you get me.

Hi Tally

 

I agree with the last line,above,"you win some,you lose some" Dont let such a thing bother you,and dont waste tme greeting those who wont respond.

I think I am very lucky I have four very good neighbours, my next door neighbours make as much noise as my family so thats good and their little girl has special needs too. All the kids play out front together.

 

I have to say when I arrived they had all been neighbours for 18mths but had not spoken until 2 mths after I arrived,I introduced myself and this made it easier for them to communicate with each other as well.

 

 

I am really going to be sad to leave next mth

[Apk5]

people are wierd.

 

when i moved in here, i went upstairs to introduce myself to my neighbour and she just poked her head round the door like a frightened rabbit and apologised for running the washing machine.

 

the dog likes her though, so she can't be all bad.

 

that said, my dog's shown poor character judgement in the past