My Neighbor Called the Cops on My Kids Because ‘Children Shouldn’t Be Screaming Outside’ – So I Went to War with Her

Laughing, yelling “Goal!” or “Wait for me!” Not horror movie screaming.

In a family neighborhood, you’d think that would be fine.

But we have Deborah.

Deborah lives directly across the street.

She’s probably in her late 50s. Neat gray bob. Clothes that match her flower beds.

Yard always perfect, not a leaf out of place.

And she looks at my kids like they’re stray dogs.

The first time I really clocked her, the boys were racing scooters past her house.

Noah shrieked laughing when Liam almost ran into a trash can.

I was on the porch smiling, and I saw her blinds snap up.

She stared at them like they were smashing windows.

I told myself, Okay, she’s grumpy. Whatever. Every street has one.

But it kept happening.

Any time they were outside, I’d see her blinds twitch.

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