Re: advice about problem child.
 

We had some bother with the older teen's in the village giving our kids greif, our oldest one came in a bit scuffed up one night and wouldn't tell us who done it. Few night later i caught one of them at it again and took off up the street after the little shoite, caught him and had a little word in his ear! Repeated the same with a bigger scroat that thought he rulled the village till i got a hold of him.. just grabbing the front of his jacket had him in tears :o first one won't walk in the same street as me (now 19yrs old!) and the other ended up best mates with our kids. Never had any more hassle :cool:

Agreed :-)

Re: advice about problem child.
 

we have a little group of kids (all about 13) who were chucking things at windows, nicking walking sticks from the hospital down the road and chucking them at all the cars driving by and just all round being a pain.
I went and spoke to them just after christmas and was half expecting to get aload of abuse. i was amazed at just how decent these boys were, i spoke to them as adults and even had a 10 min kick about in the car park with them.
Now no problems at all, about 2 weeks ago they were outside kicking the ball up againts the wall on the side of house. i left it for a while but the banging started getting to me so opened the window and did not even have to open my mouth before i got a sorry mate we will go down the road and play...my reply was thanks,

i remember being a kid and doing everything they are doing, if i come across someone who moaned at us we would do it more just to annoy them and have a laugh. if someone spoke to us with respect then we made sure we respected them.
I think MBK is right, try it, what harm can it do?

Re: advice about problem child.
 

It's a calculated risk. You MIGHT end up winning the kid over and solving your problem. Or, you might make yourself known to him as someone to specifically target.

I remember seeing two little scrotes (ten years old?) walking down my street as I pulled up and parked. As I was getting out of the car I heard a loud BANG followed by them laughing. They've obviously just kicked and damaged something, and I didn't want them to do it to my car. I don't know what I'd have done if they had but it freaked me out. Thing is, you hear about these senior citizens who go out and yell at the kids to get off their lawn.

As others have said, it's after attention, but not necessarily good. If it gets a reaction at one house it knows to go back there for some more. Hence the old geezer finds himself with chavs outside every night, goading him.