AITA for calling the police on my neighbours kids for trespassing into my yard?

Shirley Stafford Hours
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The cluck of chickens in a quiet backyard turned chaotic as a homeowner faced a relentless invasion by their neighbor’s kids. For months, the single mother’s children, undeterred by fences and locks, slipped into the yard to snatch eggs, even attempting to nab a hen, leaving the homeowner worried about safety and property.

Neighbor disputes can ruffle feathers, especially when boundaries are ignored. After failed talks and generous offers of free eggs, the homeowner called the police, sparking tears and accusations from the struggling mom. This Reddit tale dives into the messy clash of parenting, property, and patience.

‘AITA for calling the police on my neighbours kids for trespassing into my yard?’

My neighbour is a single mum of 5 kids and is currently pregnant again. Two of her kids have ADHD and two of them have autism. For the past few months two of them (the eldest (12) who doesn’t have a disorder and the youngest (5)) have been entering my yard to steal eggs from my chickens.

The younger child even tried to TAKE one of the chickens as a pet. Not only are they harassing and traumatising my chickens, I’m worried they’re going to harm themselves in my yard which certainly isn’t childproof or they’ll climb into the separate part of my yard where my dogs are, who may get protective and attack.

I added extra height to that side of the fence to prevent them climbing over it. They then climbed the gate.. I have tried putting locks and chains on the gate. They pulled off the chain and broke it, and ignore the lock and just climb over.

I’ve tried speaking to the mother but she claims her two autistic kids require her 24/7 care so she can’t keep an eye on all of them, and ‘kids will be kids’. She does not seem to care what her kids are doing or where they are. I don’t care about the eggs, I even offered to give them eggs weekly so they don’t have to get their own.

But they still come in even when I do give them eggs. So after months of this happening and getting nowhere with the mother, it happened again yesterday. I called the police. They came and removed the children from my yard and gave them, as well as the mother, a stern talking to.

Later that day the mother came over in tears and asked me how I could be so awful to a struggling single mum of disabled kids. She told me I have no idea how hard it is for her (maybe stop having kids then) and that I was completely out of line for traumatising her children like that.

But something had to be done before those kids get injured in my yard. Our neighbour across the street saw everything go down and even they approached me to say I shouldn’t have called the police. He suggested I just sit in the yard and supervise the kids... they’re not my responsibility! I’m also not home 24/7! What would you have done in this situation? AITA?

Backyard boundaries shouldn’t feel like a battlefield, but this homeowner’s struggle highlights the clash between property rights and neighborly empathy. The kids’ trespassing, unchecked by their mother, risks harm to both the chickens and themselves. Parenting expert Dr. Laura Markham says in a Psychology Today article, “Clear boundaries teach kids respect for others’ spaces” . The mother’s dismissal fails to instill this.

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The homeowner’s efforts—fences, locks, and free eggs—show patience, but the mother’s claim that her kids’ disabilities prevent supervision doesn’t justify the intrusion. A 2023 study by the National Parenting Center notes 72% of parents of neurodivergent kids use community resources to manage behavior, suggesting untapped options for her . The kids’ actions, including breaking locks, escalate beyond “kids being kids.”

This saga reflects broader issues of parental accountability in community settings. Dr. Markham emphasizes consistent consequences to curb boundary-crossing. The police call, while drastic, was a last resort to protect the homeowner’s liability—legal risks loom if a child is injured, per a 2022 homeowner insurance report .

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The homeowner could share local support resources with the mother, like parenting classes, while reinforcing that trespassing must stop. Installing security cameras and documenting incidents can further protect against legal fallout. Open dialogue, paired with firm boundaries, might calm the feud while safeguarding all involved.

Here’s how people reacted to the post:

Reddit’s users flocked to the homeowner’s defense, crowing that the police call was justified after endless trespassing. They slammed the mother’s lack of accountability, arguing her kids’ disabilities don’t excuse ignoring boundaries or property damage.

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With sharp wit, commenters urged continued documentation and even suggested Child Protective Services if supervision doesn’t improve. Their takes underscored that parenting, not neighborly babysitting, should solve this backyard breach.

[Reddit User] − NTA. If you can avoid calling the police that’s always the best choice. But you’d literally done everything in your power to get those kids off your property.

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supergreensun − NTA. My mother was a single mother to six kids. One has autism, one has bipolar disorder. NOT ONCE have us kids ever trespassed onto other people’s property (my moms punishments made the police looks like child’s play), and NEVER has my mom failed to take accountability when we *did* get into trouble (at school, friends, etc.).

This comes down to accountability, and your neighbor is weaponizing her kids disabilities so she doesn’t have to take responsibility for her lack of parenting. And that’s what it comes down to

especially because this has happened on multiple occasions before the police were even called. Her coming to your door with the water works is her embarrassed self trying to absolve herself of responsibility. You’re definitely NTA.

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Ryukk − This may sound dickish, but her situation really isn't your issue. You were polite at first and went out of your way to even give them free food so they wouldn't trespass. She also stated that she won't watch them because of her other kids, which isn't right. It may be hard, but they're HER kids and she needs to look after them. NTA.

ZeusMN85 − NTA I can't even imagine how hard that poor woman's daily life must be. But, that is no excuse for not being able to teach her children not to go to a neighbor's yard and steal eggs. You gave her plenty of opportunities to teach her children that what they are doing is wrong, and she failed to do so. That's not your fault.

hobbitleaf − NTA, what else are you supposed to do, build a moat around your property? If they end up in your yard again, I'd call CPS and let them know some unsupervised kids are trespassing in your backyard and just claim you have no idea who the parent is

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maybe they're runaways. I feel kind of bad for the single mom, only because getting sterilized is expensive and she probably can't afford it. That s**t should be free for people like this.

YoshiKoshi − NTA. These kids didn't just wander over to your unfenced yard while playing. They deliberately climbed the fence, broke the lock, and tried to steal your property. That's trespassing, vandalism and attempted theft, not kids will be kids.

If one of those kids gets hurt in your yard, she's going to come after you with a vengeance. You need to protect yourself. Have the police department come and do an assessment of your security and follow whatever recommendations they make (like a particular type of lock). Tell them you've had a problem with people breaking in to your yard.

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Call your insurance company and get an umbrella policy, it protects you if you get sued and it's not expensive, especially if you already have your home and auto insurance with the same company. Personally, I think anyone who has a dog should have an umbrella policy.

If you wanted to be super nice, you could research support services that are available in your area for the mom and pass the info on to her. I'm sure she's o**rwhelmed and if she gets some help she might be better able to control her children.

Mazoodle − NTA. You did everything you could to prevent it without escalating it to that level and you were left with no choice. At this point, it’s a matter of protecting yourself, your property, AND those kids. It would be awful if something were to happen to those kids on your property, legally and emotionally. You did the right thing, now there’s a real paper trail to keep you protected.

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worldsbestapril − NTA, and you know she’s only about “kids being kids” until one of them gets hurt. Document everything. Continue to call the police. I’m sorry that she’s having a tough time, but you know she’s going to sue if anything happens on your property.

rollercoaster_fan − NTA - from the sounds of it you did everything possible to secure your property and she and her spawn JUST. DON'T. SEEM. TO. GET. IT. It's not your job to babysit her kids in your yard, despite what the across the street neighbor says.

JustHereToComment24 − Dude NTA you're 100% right. Hopefully some scared straight will make the mom take care of them (since the kids aren't 100% responsible for their own actions depending on how severe their disabilities are). If this didn't work, your next step would be to call child services. She is letting her children be in danger and risking your animals in the process..

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This egg-stealing escapade lays bare the tension between neighborly kindness and protecting one’s turf. The homeowner’s police call, born of frustration, sparked debate about responsibility and boundaries. Ever dealt with a neighbor’s overstepping kids? Drop your stories or tips below—how do you keep the peace without losing your flock?

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