This Mom Is Tired Of Watching Her Neighbor’s Kids When They Come Out To Play With Hers

We’ve all been there, stuck in conversation with the oddly chatty kid at the park while their parent is deep in their phone and not paying attention. Or maybe you’ve had parents drop their child off at your kid’s birthday party when the intention was for parents to stay, and now you’re in charge of their care. Well, what if your neighbor opened the front door and let her kid out to play with yours on your front lawn, said nothing, and promptly went back inside?

Texas-based mom Lauren (@_thelaurenlife_ on TikTok) recorded her hot take sitting in front of her house, after this very scenario played out for her. “I don’t mind my son playing with neighbor kids; everyone he sees, he calls them a friend. But I don’t like it when I’m being taken advantage of because I’m actually sitting out here engaging and present with my children,” she says. She explains that a neighbor with three kids lets her children run across the street to play and goes back inside.

“I’m not being babysitter; I’m not watching your kids. You need to come out here and be a parent,” she concludes.

The mom who made the video clarifies in the comments that her child is 3 years old, and the youngest of the neighbor’s three children is 4.

Honestly, the comments are pretty divided, with some parents firmly taking this mom’s side and others telling her to loosen up. “This is super simple and a no-brainer. I used to just go let the parent know that I won’t be responsible or liable for their children, and if they want them to come outside and play with my children, they need to be outside as well, please... or they weren’t playing with my kids. I was a single mom, and that’s how it goes,” said one commenter. “Agree 💯. People abuse the village concept and neglect their children,” wrote another.

“Growing up, moms were never outside... kids just went outside and played until the street lights went on. I’m not disagreeing with you, but maybe she just thinks differently. I would just have a conversation with her before judging,” retorted one commenter. Another gently pointed out, “not everyone has the same rules for their children. It’s also cultural — some people from other countries give their children a lot more freedom than others.”

One commenter hit the nail on the head, though, explaining that this neighbor mom’s older children are likely at a stage where she doesn’t feel the need to watch their every move. “She’s probably not assuming that the neighbor is gonna be babysitting them. She’s assuming that her children know enough to act right and if there is a problem, she knows her children will come and get her.”

While I agree it’d be common courtesy for the mom to check in and say hello before expecting someone else to keep even a passing eye on her kids, data has shown us that kids today want more independence and opportunities to play with friends in person rather than online. It could be that she’s trying to foster some semblance of that in a safe and accessible way — but does that mean Lauren should have to provide the safety? Maybe it also depends on how the kids behave and what they do when they come over.

How would you handle this?