Candi;

I was just noting that the kids were sent there. Hardly their fault. Personally, I'm not a fan of teaching kids by being rude to them. I coached football and basketball, boys and girls, ages 6-15, for 10+ years, and one of the challenges I appreciated most was finding effective ways to communicate with them. I would never send them to a crotchety neighbor's house to get their life lessons.

I just don't see any reason to lash out at the kids in the scenario that Tracey described. It's about the same as blaming the dog. According to Tracey herself, her real issue is with the grandmother.

When we were kids, we were respectful, but if a ball went over the fence, we knocked on the door and asked for it politely. Noone was ever ugly to us. Sure, there were some old people that weren't always friendly, but they never slammed the door in our face. Anyone who was extraordinarily ugly was sure to be confronted by one of the parents in the neighhborhood.

 Quote: Duane Hull

Candi;

I was just noting that the kids were sent there. Hardly their fault. Personally, I'm not a fan of teaching kids by being rude to them. I coached football and basketball, boys and girls, ages 6-15, for 10+ years, and one of the challenges I appreciated most was finding effective ways to communicate with them. I would never send them to a crotchety neighbor's house to get their life lessons.

I just don't see any reason to lash out at the kids in the scenario that Tracey described. It's about the same as blaming the dog. According to Tracey herself, her real issue is with the grandmother.

When we were kids, we were respectful, but if a ball went over the fence, we knocked on the door and asked for it politely. Noone was ever ugly to us. Sure, there were some old people that weren't always friendly, but they never slammed the door in our face. Anyone who was extraordinarily ugly was sure to be confronted by one of the parents in the neighhborhood.

Well since I've become "that crotchety old woman who lives alone", I'm rude to random knockers all the time, LOL -- I get around slamming doors in anyone's face by simply NOT answering them in the first place ... That's considered anti-social, but frankly, I just don't care One part of socializing DOGS is teaching them not to Foist their Unwelcome attentions on people uninvited, and one part of socializing children is to do likewise, IMHO.

I don't know, maybe kids were a lot less Coddled, and much more Resilient when I was growing up in the early '50s (???) We used to get doors slammed in our faces with a certain amount of frequency while out selling Girl Scout Cookies all over town -- But my parents would Never Dream of lecturing our neighbors on how to treat Darling Candi at their OWN front doors (shrug) ... And then when my sons were coming up in the early '80s, I always gave them to understand that they were NOT the center of everyone else's universe either.

On the other hand, however, when I'm walking my Akita who LOVES everybody (especially & particularly all kids) I go out of my way in allowing her to interact with anyone who's interested in meeting & greeting her -- The only exception would be for folks who are walking their own dogs, because mine is Dog-Aggro in a BIG way ... I'll quit rambling on & on now, but my point here is that I am very sociable when Out in Public, but I reserve the right to be a Reclusive Hermit on my OWN property without any apology.

You had some pretty harsh experiences. I don't remember ever being treated that way in the 60's, even when selling trifold hats made of newspaper, door to door for a nickel, so we would have money for candy when we went grocery shopping with Mom. Maybe it's just a different city or environment or culture?

 Quote: Duane Hull

You had some pretty harsh experiences. I don't remember ever being treated that way in the 60's, even when selling trifold hats made of newspaper, door to door for a nickel, so we would have money for candy when we went grocery shopping with Mom. Maybe it's just a different city or environment or culture?

Could be, Duane