NEED TO KNOW
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A woman asked if she’s in the wrong for intentionally scaring her neighbor’s children
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In a post on the AITAH subreddit, the original poster (OP) decided to take matters into her own hands after futile attempts to get the neighbor’s kids to stop invading her privacy
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The woman ended her post by saying that she felt “justified at the time,” but as she tells people the story, she’s wondering if she’s in the wrong
A woman asked if she’s in the wrong for intentionally scaring her neighbor’s children.
In a post on the AITAH subreddit, the original poster (OP) explained that while her bedroom window faces the front yard, it’s “not possible” to see clearly into the room. The 29-year-old said that she typically leaves the blinds half open to allow some light and sunshine into her space while she walks comfortably around her room.
“Recently, my neighbor’s twin kids, both male and I’m guessing around 7 years old, have started looking in my bedroom window,” OP shared. “I don’t just mean standing by the window in my yard. I’m talking faces and hands completely pressed up against the window, looking in.”
“I assume this started with them looking at my cats, but now I think they consider it some type of game with me,” she continued. “If they see me, they run back home laughing. I have caught them outside on a number of occasions and asked them directly not to do this, but again they just run away laughing like it’s a game.”
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A stock photo of a frustrated woman.
The woman said that she’s spoken with the kids’ parents multiple times about the situation, but they refuse to do or say anything to their sons.
“The response I got was, ‘They’re just kids being kids’ and ‘If you don’t want someone looking in your window just keep it closed,’ ” OP wrote. “I think that teaching your kids that it’s ok to go onto someone’s property and peek in their window is kinda f—– up. I know they’re only young, but I still feel like my privacy is being invaded.”
OP shared that the situation with her neighbor’s sons has been going on every day for several months, until last week when she decided to take matters into her own hands.
“I walked in my bedroom and heard the kids outside playing, then spotted the terrifying demon-like mask that my boyfriend wore to a Halloween party the night before. So I got an idea,” she began. “I stood next to my window wearing the mask for almost 20 minutes. Finally, I heard the footsteps approaching and waited until both kids had their noses pressed up against the window.”
“At that moment I jumped out, mask right at their eye level, and let out the deepest and loudest roar I possibly could,” she continued. “In all the years living next to these neighbors, I’ve never heard them scream as loudly as they did when they saw me.”
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A stock photo of a boy being scolded.
OP said that the boys ran home “screaming and crying,” resulting in their mother knocking on her door moments later. She shared that the woman called her a “monster for scaring her children.”
“I simply told her that I do what I want in my own house, and if her kids don’t want to see that they should stay away from my window,” she said. “It’s been a week now, and I’m glad to say the kids have not even stepped foot on my front lawn. Not sure if it’s because they’re traumatized, or the parents have just told them not to do it anymore. Either way, I’m happy.”
The woman ended her post saying that she felt “justified at the time,” but as she tells people the story, she’s wondering if she’s in the wrong, as many people have told her that she took it too far for such young children.
In the comment section for the post, many users chimed in saying she didn’t take it too far. One parent shared their thoughts, saying the neighbor is “lucky” OP didn’t call the police on her children.
“NTA. They’re lucky they didn’t get a call from the police instead of just getting scared by a mask. The mother, tho, is TA,” they wrote. “She should be teaching her kids better and not to look into random neighbors’ bedroom windows.”
“The nerve. ‘Keep your windows closed.’ The absolute gall. What would be her excuse if her kids had caught you and your boyfriend together through those windows? ‘You shouldn’t be having sex where kids can see it?’ ” they added. “Frankly, you should have done it sooner. And anyone who disagrees clearly has never had their privacy encroached on, children or not.”
The person edited their response to reiterate that OP didn’t go too far, as they are a parent themselves.
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A stock photo of a boy looking through a window.
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Another commenter echoed those sentiments, saying that they would have called the cops after the neighbor dismissed them the first time.
“The first time that woman told me she was okay with her kids coming onto my property and press their faces up against my bedroom window, I’d have gone to the police to report them for trespassing, voyeurism and invasion of privacy,” they wrote. “This behavior is a crime when adults do it, and the very least that woman should be doing is teaching her kids it’s not acceptable.”
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