Advice on how to deal with neighbours naughty children

I would start documenting things down then go to your local police and ask them to talk to the children.

Are you in a neighbourhood watch area?

If possible start with the parents .....this is unacceptable. You may not be comfortable with this idea.

Do you have a neighbour who would be prepared to talk to the children directly?. Someone with a firm friendly manner. Often just a friendly, no messing chat can help.

Just that Police seem a bit extreme at this stage.

Try the parents first if you feel confident. They may be mortified at their children's behaviour......or not sadly.

Do you have a neighbour with a firm manner who could talk to the children in a friendly no nonsense way?. Often this can help appeal to their better natures and remind them of acceptable behaviour. Just shouting no good....Someone who can talk to them properly..

Just that the police seems a bit extreme at this stage.

Ignore them. I'm presuming these are school-aged children and its getting dark and cold so I can't see them wanting to play out for much longer. Draw your curtains, pull your blinds down and forget them.

PS I'm presuming they aren't actually throwing things at you - are they?

I don't know how old they are, but their safety is their parents' responsibility, so you mustn't worry about that.

Otherwise, I would probably just wave and smile at them through the window - that could bemuse them. If you start to get angry they may get worse.

What a shame Marieeliz has had to wait since 9th October for a response! I must admit I don't remember seeing her post at the time.

I hope everything's OK and that now the nights are drawing in the children aren't playing out so late. It must be very intimidating if you live alone to feel targeted in such a way...

There was a time in a previous home when 2 or 3 children were regularly visiting their DGP and being a nuisance, aged about 4 yrs, running through my garden for their ball etc and trampling plants, shrubs, daffs. I didn't want to make a big deal as they had older siblings/cousins who might decide also (or not) to be a bigger nuisance.

So I went out and brushed the drive while they were playing around. I smiled and waved at them..... they knew me to see as their granny lived so near. When the ball came up to me I threw it back the first time. Second time I let them come to me for it.
Asked them did they like flowers, would they like to have a flower for their granny. But only adults were allowed to pick a flower. So a flower was chosen for granny.

Then I showed them the mummy plants and the baby plants, explaining that if the baby plants got trampled the mummy plant would be sad. And if the mummy plant got trampled the baby plant would have no family.

I asked them if in future it would be best if the ball didn't go near the plants but if they had to would they please be very very careful when needing to collect their ball and tread slowly and very carefully. Also that I'd love it if they gave me a wave when they did this. It worked and I'd no more bother.

However, Marieeliz is in a different position and must feel quite vulnerable, the children seem old enough to be some distance from their home. Some parents get all defensive when approached about their children when they should think it through.

A neighbourhood watch commitee would be a wonderful approach, i.e. representing the area regarding unacceptable behaviour.

Perhaps when janc mentions the police it's not so much being a heavy hand so much, more like the community policeman on his bike 'coming across them in action' and then being able to speak to the families the unpleasant behaviour of their children'. Or community policeman speaking to families regarding a few reported concerns of children behaving in an unpleasant manner.

Sorry for long post.

What a difficult position to be in. Children are entitled to play, but residents are entitled to feel safe and comfortable in their own home. Many years ago we returned from holiday late one night to find the back window of my old car smashed. Our neighbour came out to tell us that it had been a stone thrown by a small boy from a well known family. The next morning I spoke to the local policeman about it, he said I was fully entitled to report the crime but to bear in mind that the lad would likely get a thrashing from his heavy drinking father and moronic mother. I just left it unreported and claimed off insurance telling them I didnt know how it happened.

Difficult one, but I would ignore it too. You have done what you can as you were concerned for their safety, nothing more to be done now.Don't let them see you looking out of the window at them.As others say, the evenings dark now anyway.
Anyway Mareeliz welcome to the forum and hope things improve for you.

Good post Coolgran and I'm glad it worked for you.