Doing it The Old Fashion Way

Lately I have been struggling with Trespassing. Not only the act of others trespassing on my property but struggling with the fact that I actually care. (I have a philosophical debate with myself about if land/property can really be owned.) For the past two years or so we have had a pack of middle schoolers who hang out in our yard in the afternoon when they get off the bus. They used to let them off just a couple of feet up the road and they never really bothered us but since they changed the route to right in front of our house they have taken up residence in our yard. We called the school board to see if they would change the stop but no dice. It is not uncommon for the kids to just hang out even when I am outside with my kids playing. They don't really realize at this age that other people exist and that you might not want to cuss in front of little children.

I am pretty nonconfrontational by nature. I have been thinking that I need to find these kid's parents and talk to them. I just hate this sort of thing. I am reminded of the fact that this is what has always created stability and conformity in a community is the concept of accountability. "Back in the Day" kids actually feared doing stupid crap in public because their Mamas might find out. So yesterday when the kids were playing a football game in my front yard for a good half hour I had had enough. For some reason I still think that I am going to scare them off when I come outside. They didn't budge. They continued their game with their backpacks strewn all over my yard. So I took one of the backpacks and took it inside my house with the full intention of calling his Mama! I got busy with dinner and at about 5 oclock I was looking in his backpack and looking up Mom in the directory. It was about then that the kid rang the doorbell with his tail between his legs. I had a little talk with him about why it isn't a good idea to hang out on people's property without their permission. He was very apologetic and I felt like such an old crow!

I am kind of sorry that I didn't get to call his Mama. Eventhough I hate that sort of confrontation I still crave a community with presence and awareness of others. I pray that I can raise my children with these qualities. I hope that if they struggle along the way that somebody will call their Mama!