Small neighbour rant

My female neighbour has a 16 year old daughter. Four to five times a week she forgets her house key. Her mother is at work and by the sounds of it they don't have a spare key hidden outside. The neighbour gave me a spare key a long time ago (in case they forget key or when I have cat sat in the past while they were away) So after school is over she comes over and asks for the key and brings it back.

Usually I'm home around that time but not always. Last Friday I was not home, she came to the door. The house across the street also has a spare key.

She phoned me later to ask something unrelated. A few minutes later she mentioned her daughter called her at work to say nobody was around with a key (the other neighbour wasn't home either) She waited in the sunroom until she came home. I could tell in her voice she was annoyed I wasn't around to hand her daughter the key.

I was once a teenager and was forgetful but I don't feel it's my responsibility to be home at a certain time to hand over the key.

One time I mentioned that I find it handy to hide a spare key outside because I forget my keys a few times. Nothing was said and I realize its up to her if she wants to do similar.

No, it's not your responsibility at all! In fact I think you should make a point of being away at that time for awhile. A couple of sessions in the sun room should help her to start remembering her key.

Yeah really, it's not your fault at all
They can most definately hide the key
Funny she can remember what neighbour has the key, but can't remember to take her own

Your neighbour is lucky to have 2 people she can trust with her keys. However, it sounds like the daughter has fallen into the " well, there's some-one always around so why should I bother " trap.

I agree with abbasgirl that a few days without her safety net may well provide a degree of self-relience.

That's dumb ... they should hid a spare key somewhere around their home.

I hide a key outside my home, it's really hard to find as it's hidden some where that a person needs it has to go through many hoops to get it LOL it' really secret for emergancy.

I say it's time to give the key back!

Thats really nice of you and the other neighbour. It seems if she sounded annoyed its that she is taking advantage of the fact you have a key. I probably wouldnt be able to zip it if that was me... I might say why dont you tie the key on a string and with a pork chop around your kids neck, and next time she wont forget it!!!!!!!!!!!!

oh I also forgot to mention my neighbour rant. My neighbour will come in my house and when i did smoke we would go out for a smoke. She would consitently turn the lock on the door knob and lock me out of my own house!!!!! im like wth are you doing this is not your house. Had to get a random neighbour with a ladder and she crawled through the window and unlocked it, thats only one case... many many others. Needless to say if she is ever around i grab my keys

My brother and I were notorius for forgetting our keys when we were teens - my Mom bought a Weiser combination lock with the keypad and all problems solved. Best $100 ever spent, and to this day My bro and I have them in our own houses, they are awesome!!


Send the Mom a brochure of one :)

I'd be giving the key back.

It is so sad that we try and do something nice for our neighbours, then eventually it becomes our DUTY and we are expected to do this all the time. You are not on their schedule, so if the teen forgets her key and you are not home, guess she waits. I agree with Darth in that should she have to do this a few times, my money is betting she will start to remember her key.

Thanks for all the tips and advice :) I need to make myself less available around that time. Today when I came home my answering machine was flashing. I didn't check it right away. A few min ago I did, and my neighbour left a message mentioning her daughter forgot her key and wondering if I was home (she had phoned around 4pm). I phoned her and left a message saying I was out and letting her know I got the message.

I should get a brochure on that keypad lock and stick it in her mail box when she's not around.

As for the spare key... she gave it to me about 6 months ago. I looked after their cat when they were away a few times. I gave it back to her but she said to keep it in case they lose their keys or they want me to look after the cat. Now were at this.. daughter forgetting keys. I should hand it back.

Totally agree! Hand the key back and tell her it's become too much of a responsibility, tying you to your home!!!
Why on earth should you be responsible for her own irresponsible kid?!
Stupid neighbor.

The girl needs a shoelace so she can keep the key around her neck like latchkey elementary kids do!

If the neighbours with extra keys continue to not be around when the girl forgets her key, I can guarantee you she'll forget her key less and less; you are in no way responsible to make sure you're home when said 16-year-old forgets her key. There are children much younger entrusted with a heck of a lot more responsibility than remembering their own house key (I had my own house key at the age of 6 and never forgot it) and they manage just fine. A normal 16-year-old is capable of remembering something so simple, she needs to know there are consequences for being forgetful and careless, like being locked out of one's house.