ANTAGONIZING TEENS

Hi,
My wife, and I, and a 25-year-old son live in an end house in Staten Island, NY. Last Sunday night we heard our doorbell ring. I ignored it because we've had this problem of teen-age girls ringing our bell and running away. But this time it wasn't girls it was two teen boys who had tossed soda on our front door and rang the bell so we would see the soda on the door.

After my wife had washed it off with hot water, about 20 minutes later, we hear things hitting the front window and the side window. We ran outside and we see that the objects were eggs. My wife spotted the kids and I started to run after them (my wife & I are 55 years old).

Naturally, they ran and I stopped half way down the block, no way I was going to catch them anyway. We called the local police and one of their questions was "What did we do to them?" Our response was that we were in our living room minding our own business.

My wife is upset, she wants to move to Jersey. She wants to buy an $800.00 security camera. I am totally against both ideas because I refuse to have kids push me out of my home. I sat her down and tried to reason this out. I told her, first of all, it isn't anything we can't wash off of the house and windows. Second, these seem like kids who are bored and they're getting kicks seeing us run out of the house and trying to catch them. This is a game to them. I told her that when this happens again we should just ignore them and hopefully they'll become frustrated and see that their harassment is fruitless. I would really like to know what you think of this situation and what you can add to it. They had even tossed an egg on my deck to try to further aggravate us. Did I talk sense to my wife? I value your opinion.

Vinny

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Vinny,

[Uncleism: Always know the mindset of the other side of the table.]

You are correct; these kids are bored and mischievous. You are incorrect in tactics.

There are three way to deal with your problem.

Move and show no weakness to the teenagers of the new location.
Stay and take all the fun out of their harassment. You are probably the punching bag of the neighborhood because you call the cops, chase them down the street and give them exactly what they want.

Stay and play hardball. Buy that camera. Get them on tape and see them in court.

Read some of my other posts - again.

If you are the only person "on the block" being harassed. It is because your response amuses the kids. DO NOT run after them! If you put your hands on them you will have to explain. Short of a citizen's arrest implemented with care, you don't want to go to court against a zillion kids that will hang you out to twist in the wind.

If you want to play hardball - fine. Buy the security camera and get them on tape. Extra lighting around the house eliminates stealthy approaches. Enlist the neighbors. Get suggestions from the police. Be the most generous person on the block. Buy the cookies, support the teams, be the king of Halloween. Get some of them on your side.

Don't play by the kid's rules. Make them play by yours.
Everybody's Uncle