I gotta vent, I hate neighbor kids

mr9iron · #1 10/21/2001, 11:15 PM

I gotta vent guys, my wife was home today and the neighbor kids came over to play. Well one little girl was being a real brat and getting into everything and pushing our son down and going through the house destroying things and taking all of his candy, then the wife caught her.

The little witch was in our bedroom where the nano is and my wife told her not to touch it. Needless to say she comes back a few minutes later and catches her with her hands in the tank. She had dumped a bunch of fish food in the tank and opened the drip system dumping a bunch of kalk into the tank flooding it.

My wife says that things are looking really bad, all my corals have shrivled up and shrunk and are sliming as we speak. I tried to talk my wife through a water change and by gods grace she's done it. Im praying that everything turns out ok, but im afraid that I may have lost my prized nano reef that I have worked so hard to get going.

I would think that an 8 year old child would respect other peoples property enough to leave things alone when there told to. If the nano dosent make it what do you guys think I should do? Should I just cut my losses and get over it or should I send the little brats parents a bill?

Im sorry for venting reefers im just so damn furious right now.

Starfish · #2 10/21/2001, 11:24 PM

I am afraid I would not be quiet about this. An 8 year old should behave better. I would tell the parents what a brat there raising. May be in a nice way. Should the neighbors be upset about it , one good thing would come out of it, they would leave you alone. All I can say if any child did that to my reef i would be on the war path.

DreamMarine · #3 10/21/2001, 11:29 PM

I am very sorry to here about that and I hope everything is ok!!!

I would make them pay for it !!! Goodluck!!!!!!

SteveMH · #4 10/21/2001, 11:38 PM

Another case of bad parenting.

Dang right the parents should pay for it. I'd be on a war path too. This hobby isn't cheap, not to mention all the work you put into the tank. The kid should scrape algae for a month too.

Agu · #5 10/21/2001, 11:44 PM

Sorry to hear about your tank, hope it pulls through !!

Uhh Vince, you're not going to like what I have to say, sorry. You have every right to be angry, at the person who was supervising young children. And if the kid has been there before while you've been around you shoulder some of the blame. Kids love to look at my tank, and I've had several children spend time with me checking out all the critters. During that time I explain that these are delicate animals, and they need to stay a bit away and not touch the tank or anything in it's vicinity. If it means I have to stop my fun to show them the tanks, so be it.

That said, some kids are just brats, and they're not welcome in my home. In this case talking to the parents will be as effective as talking to a bucket of live rock. Don't waste your energy!!

Good Luck,
Agu

mr9iron · #6 10/21/2001, 11:55 PM

Agu, I know that I shoulder some of the blame I can accept that. Although this was the first time the child has been in our home along with some of the other neighbor kids(who are very well manored and respectful). What makes me mad though is the fact that my wife told her not to touch the tank and she did it anyway. I am not home so I couldnt help keep an eye on the little curtian climbers and my wife was trying to entertain them and make treats for them. Sorry guys im just frustrated.

Ironreef · #7 10/21/2001, 11:59 PM

I would let the parents know. If they felt bad they may offer some $$? may not. But they may think its your fault? Then you will know why the kid acts that way? But there no excuce. My girl wouldn't do that but i belive bad kids (brats) just want attention? Not getting enough from home. To bad it came to that but i would let them know . Only way the child may or maynot learn JMO

Flameangel · #8 10/22/2001, 12:03 AM

I would ask them to pay for the damage. My husband and I were restoring a very old run down house once. Three litle boys decided to see if they could break a few more windows in the old house not knowing that I was working inside. Without thinking, I ran out of the house and chased the three of them home. I spoke with their parents. Those boys had the pleasure of mowing my lawn and pulling my weeds for 6 months!

Kids need to be held responsible.

Connie

mr9iron · #9 10/22/2001, 12:07 AM

Amen flameangle, I think kids should be held accountable for there actions also. I love the idea of them mowing your lawn for 6 months.

Ironreef · #10 10/22/2001, 12:12 AM

hmm boys are boys they seem to get into more trouble know matter how much love you give them ...its called boredom but the parents were resonsible enought to punish them which is good. Kids need to be accountable for there acts. Thats why there is so much violence in schools now

naesco · #11 10/22/2001, 12:17 AM

I agree fully with Agu.
If we can't keep away from our tanks how do you expect an 8 year old kid to.
You mentioned that this was the first time she was in your house and therefor the first time she saw your beautiful reef.

Think about it!!!! The tank was irresistable.

I am sorry your tank was ruined and understand your being fully ****ed. I would be to.

Don't listen to the other advice. Problems with the neighbour just isn't worth it.

I hope every thing turns out better than it sounds.

Freckles · #12 10/22/2001, 12:20 AM

I am sorry to hear about your nano! That kid, IMO, deserves a slap across the face. I would definitely talk to the parents & have them cover the expenses, if your reef should die, or if any of the corals do. That would just **** me off to have a kid come in and touch something that does not belong to them, specifically after your wife told the kid not to touch it!! I do hope that everything will be ok, though.

Diver61 · #13 10/22/2001, 12:37 AM

those ******* ****s next time they mess up your work out hit them with a 50lbs dumbell!

mr9iron · #14 10/22/2001, 12:43 AM

Heres a little update reefers, the wife attempted to do a water change and got the salinity a little high. Its 1.032 and I keep it at 1.026 is this gonna be harmful?

mr9iron · #15 10/22/2001, 12:47 AM

Oopps, the wife read it to me wrong guys. My salinity is ok its at 1.026. I got a little excited considering the nights events.

Agu · #16 10/22/2001, 12:48 AM

Vince, Problem after problem

. In a nano it's tough to tell, all I can say is "Good Luck".

Agu

mr9iron · #17 10/22/2001, 12:50 AM

Thanks Agu, Im keeping my fingers crossed and hope everything will turn out for the best.

icepick96 · #18 10/22/2001, 01:10 AM

Sorry about your nano. I feel your pain. Hopefully everything will pull through. Just a thought, I would make the brat eat a handful of bristle worms. That should solve the problem. I would even send you some if needed. I'm sure we could get hundreds of RC members to send you some....... sorry just a thought.

GOOD LUCK

Alto · #19 10/22/2001, 02:49 AM

I would just call it a loss... BUT I would call her parents and explain to them that she is not and never will be welcome at your home again, and explain what she did. Dont expect them to understand or care just explain. Also tell them that if you ever find her on your property or in your house again that a police officer will be picking her up.

As a side note I think kids should be held legally respoinsible for what they do... I dont buy the whole "dont know right from wrong" BS excuse... if you catch a 6 year old with his hand in the cookie jar, does he sit there eating it like he did nothing wrong? NO he'll lie and squirm... why? Because he knows he did something wrong! Punish them like we punish everyone else (maybe a little less severly but punish them all the same). That is how lessons are learned and if the parents wont do it then the kid is going to grow into an ill manored adult. It's not like one day she will wake up and say "wow I have been a really bad kid... maybe I should be good." Sorry for the rant within a rant

I guess I have strong feelings on this subject.

Aframomum · #20 10/22/2001, 07:43 AM

Hi there,
Sorry to hear about your nano, how have things been since you've gotten home? Hope your pH isn't too high. You said it was the first time the girl has been to your house, how well do you know the parents, meaning do you have BBQ's with them on the 4th, chat with them during the weekends, etc.? Or do they live way down the street and you barely know them? These people may or may not be respectable types and their reaction may be anything from disbelief that their daughter could do something so terrible to really non-caring and possible easily angered. It all really depends on how you present yourself. I know your mad now but don't discuss this while your steaming, it'll put the other party on the defensive quickly and you won't get your point across. Hope things go well for you,
Mark

Angel*Fish · #21 10/22/2001, 08:53 AM

Sorry to hear about the catastrophe

Hope your tank does ok....

I have had two 8 year old kids of my own and a great deal of exposure to many others and can assure you with confidence that unless they are alien replacement pods or messengers from hell, their terrible behavior is due to poor parenting. That was not a normal "whoops, accidents happen kind of thing".

Good luck trying to get reimbursed, the parents of these kinds of kids are often as unruly as the offspring.

Stringer · #22 10/22/2001, 09:19 AM

I can sympathize with you. I live next to Sanford and Son. Their place looks like a junk yard and from time to time I come home and find that their son has thrown their trash all over my yard.

I can't wait for the son to grow up and become the criminal he is destined for and move to a more "maximum security" location.

dc · #23 10/22/2001, 10:14 AM

Kids can be little monsters

My grandson is a very busy boy, when he comes to visit (lives in Utah) I have to put up x-pens around the tank and the parrot. I still watch him, but it's a never ending thing. Should have sent her home the first time she knocked your son down. If she gets sent home enough maybe she'll get the idea.

Tadashi · #24 10/22/2001, 11:13 AM

I may be part of the minority but I do not think you should ask for $$ from the parents. You should however tell them (although I agree with the above just explain they may not care) and not allow that child over anymore.

The child was in your house and all children should be supervised. Luckily the child did not get electrocuted or something or you would have been liable. You may still be liable depending on what chemicals she got into. Do you have renter's insurance that would cover the damage?

If it is any consolation I think the parents are somewhat negligent in teaching their child values and ethics. 8 years old is not too young to start building a foundation of proper behavior.

Sorry to hear about the tank. I hope everything recovers.

Angel*Fish · #25 10/22/2001, 11:46 AM

Good point, Tadashi, the one about liability -- parents of kids that bratty are just the type to file a frivolous lawsuit.

However, it is not irresponsible to leave an 8 year old alone in a room with a fish aquarium!!!! (And the child was even told not to touch it!)

The 8 year old described sounds more like a 4 year old. Kids are incredible by the time they are 8 -- I know several who were could take instructions well enough to do back handsprings on a 4 inch beam at that age -- Don't touch the aquarium? I think they can handle it.