Problems with Neighbors part 2

I am overdue on writing this post, but I thought it was worth sharing.  Back in November, we had a lot of things on the to do list the weekend after Thanksgiving.  We traditionally decorate the house for Christmas that Saturday and Rich was just getting back from a conference and trip to the capital, in addition to a last minute trip to our town by a pastor from a neighboring country.  As if all that were not enough, we had our regular time of letting the kids go out to play with the neighborhood children and the ensuing refereeing of arguments, etc., with other children. 

Some children had been playing in front of the house and had come into the courtyard to get a drink of water.  That was not a problem until our children had gone back out side but the neighbor kids were still in the courtyard.  I stepped outside our door to ask them politely to go outside the gate.  Most were understanding but one decided to be sassy/ cheeky towards me.  He went a step too far.  I tried to talk with him and he ran away.  I foolishly tried to catch him, since I was wearing a long snug skirt, so it was no surprise when I tripped and fell scraping my elbow.  It was also foolish to try to chase a boy whose parents I knew.  It was my foolish thinking to try to catch him, but his foolishness to be rude to someone who knows his parents.  I dusted myself off and went directly to visit his parents.

I hated to wake his mother who was sleeping because she was sick.  I asked to speak to his father, and one of the older children went to get him.  He entered the living room and woke his wife.  I told them what he had done.  I told them that I would want to know if my child had done something like that, so I felt sure they would want to know as well.  I know they try to be good parents and would not want their child behaving that way.  They apologized.  Then the father began going on about how much television the children watch and what type of shows they should not be allowed to watch.  I was not going to speak on that but rather let them make their own minds up about that. I left their house with the air being clear and our relationship as neighbors in tact.  I guess television is an issue no matter which side of the ocean one lives on.

As a side note, the mother sent over a bunch of grapefruits a few days later.  Good neighbors!