Here's the issue (a little long): Our neighbors, who have gone to their summer house have generously allowed our girls to use their trampoline (a fairly safe one, I think, although I'm still not a fan) and their girls' playhouse.
My girls have been having a good time playing in their yard, mostly in the playhouse and their sandbox. There's a part of their yard I told my girls not to go into - it's very well landscaped with alternating black/white pebbles and a Japanese theme. Up until today this was fine. But since we've had lots of rain, the sandbox is too wet to play in - so the girls found the pebbles. Now, I'm guessing it was the youngest (3) one that instigated this, but usually the older one (5.5) will steer her clear of things that aren't allowed, or if that doesn't work, she'll come tell me. When the girls are over at the neighbors (right behind us) I can see them from our kitchen - and so I stay there or work in the yard/hang laundry. I didn't see them for 10 minutes or so since I was putting in a new load of laundry/getting stuff from the washer to go outside. When I came out, I called for them and heard them answer back. While I was hanging out clothes (about 5 minutes later), it dawned on me that their voices were coming from the "no-go" section of back yard. Immediately I asked them both to come back inside. There were black stones in white areas and vice versa
: . I told them that they were not allowed back in the neighbors back yard. The oldest claims that she was trying to get the youngest one to stop (not that I heard), and that she was innocent. While I sort of believe her, I still hold her responsible 1) playing in the pebbles too, and 2) not coming to tell me. Even if she is totally innocent, I don't want either of them back in that yard again. If I can't supervise them their 100%, then I don't feel right about it. And I can't be out back with them all day. There was screaming/crying/nashing of teeth on their side, and the oldest refused to come back in the house, which is when I started shouting. Am I being too harsh on the older one? It would not work to have only one child allowed over there and not the other. What would you have done???? I'm mortified for the neighbors to see their pebbles, so me and my 35week preg. body are going to be sorting stones tonight. (I don't want the girls back even anywhere near the stones, as work wouldn't get done and a further mess could be made.)
My girls have been having a good time playing in their yard, mostly in the playhouse and their sandbox. There's a part of their yard I told my girls not to go into - it's very well landscaped with alternating black/white pebbles and a Japanese theme. Up until today this was fine. But since we've had lots of rain, the sandbox is too wet to play in - so the girls found the pebbles. Now, I'm guessing it was the youngest (3) one that instigated this, but usually the older one (5.5) will steer her clear of things that aren't allowed, or if that doesn't work, she'll come tell me. When the girls are over at the neighbors (right behind us) I can see them from our kitchen - and so I stay there or work in the yard/hang laundry. I didn't see them for 10 minutes or so since I was putting in a new load of laundry/getting stuff from the washer to go outside. When I came out, I called for them and heard them answer back. While I was hanging out clothes (about 5 minutes later), it dawned on me that their voices were coming from the "no-go" section of back yard. Immediately I asked them both to come back inside. There were black stones in white areas and vice versa
: . I told them that they were not allowed back in the neighbors back yard. The oldest claims that she was trying to get the youngest one to stop (not that I heard), and that she was innocent. While I sort of believe her, I still hold her responsible 1) playing in the pebbles too, and 2) not coming to tell me. Even if she is totally innocent, I don't want either of them back in that yard again. If I can't supervise them their 100%, then I don't feel right about it. And I can't be out back with them all day. There was screaming/crying/nashing of teeth on their side, and the oldest refused to come back in the house, which is when I started shouting. Am I being too harsh on the older one? It would not work to have only one child allowed over there and not the other. What would you have done???? I'm mortified for the neighbors to see their pebbles, so me and my 35week preg. body are going to be sorting stones tonight. (I don't want the girls back even anywhere near the stones, as work wouldn't get done and a further mess could be made.)
