I’m Anastasia, and for years, I thought my backyard was my peaceful retreat. But ever since my neighbor Sandra moved in with her four kids, they’ve turned my trampoline into their personal playground. I initially allowed them to bounce for a short time, but when it became a daily occurrence, I had to draw the line.

One evening, after a long day of preparing for a gathering, I found them on my trampoline again. I told them it was time to leave, but Sandra insisted they could stay longer. I firmly explained that my friends were arriving, and it was inappropriate for the kids to be around. Sandra reluctantly took them home, but her entitlement continued to bother me.

Things escalated when I came home one day to find the kids back, this time with their dad, John, attempting to pick the lock on the trampoline. I confronted him, stating it was my property, but he shrugged it off, saying they just wanted to have fun. When Sandra emerged, she called me “ridiculous” for wanting them off my property.

Determined to put an end to this, I hired a nanny to supervise the kids the next morning. When Sandra confronted her, the nanny calmly explained she was there to ensure the kids played safely—and handed Sandra a bill for her services.

Sandra was furious, claiming I was unreasonable. I stood my ground, asserting my right to control access to my property. After some back and forth, she begrudgingly paid the nanny, and since then, the kids have stayed out of my yard. Finally, peace at last!