sj, that is a tough situation for you. Thank you for being alert for the daughter's safety.

We have a next-door neighbour who screams at her kid (who is about four) for hours at a time.

That does qualify as verbal abuse. I don't know whether it does a lick of good to report to social services, but maybe, just maybe if they came and talked to the mom, she might, just possibly, realize that there is a better way. That's why, aside from the legal requirement in my position as a mandated reporter, I memorized the license plate of woman at a gas station who was screaming obscenities at a short person sitting in the back seat of her SUV, so I could report it. I have no idea if they did anything with it. Or if it will improve things. But I did it in hopes that it would.

On the other hand, if social services there is as overwhelmed and under-powered anything like it is around here... well... who knows? I know that one of my coworkers reported a neighbor, who was outside chasing her kids to kick and hit them, got a response of "are you sure it's abuse" in spite of the fact that the family is, ahem, well known to the authorities in this small town.

Sox, I hope your weekend getaway does you all kinds of good.

People who hurt their kids should be stomped into putty. People who scream obscenities and threats at their kids should be forced to watch, as an object lesson.

I'm at the theatre about to see Six Degrees of Separation with Anthony Head. Exciting!

WindSparrow - That's exactly the problem. Social services are not known for taking these kinds of complaints seriously. Plus, I'm not sure what's going on there, and if I've made a mistake they could make my life miserable (neighbours do that to me a fair bit). I'm reliant on soc services for my care services. I'm already considered a troublemaker because I demand good quality care on my own terms. I don't want that to get any worse. On the other hand... I should be more concerned about people who can't fight their own corner. The kid's not exactly getting good quality care herself. I should think this through a bit more.

That makes it even tougher, Seska. Well, the girl will be off to school, soonish, and that may make a world of difference.

P.S. I am totally on the side of you taking care of yourself.

I have become old and cranky. the girlfriend of my neighbor's son likes to park in front of my house. she spends the night there, then sneaks away with the first light of dawn. i know this because i am usually coming home and getting ready for bed right about then. she park in front of my house because i am usually at work when she arrives (late at night). This time, she parked in exactly such a way as to take up 2.5 parking spaces and prevent me from parking in front of my house. it's amazing, had she moved either forward or back a single foot, i coudl have wedged my compact car into either space. I parked across the street. it's all of 20 feet more to walk. Yet, it made me very cranky so i left a note under her windshield: "please don't take up two full parking spaces with your one car. not appreciated. thanks."

Is that too bitchy? Should i pull it or replace it before she comes out?

I thought the ending of your post was going to involve you complaining to your neighbour. So I don't think the idea is bitchy. Maybe reword it, though. I don't know what she's like.

it's barely worth a thought, except that i am cranky and her parking job sucks. i wouldn't confront anyone f2f over such an issue, but lo i am passive aggressive and sleep deprived and want other people to be considerate. is that so much to ask? (yes, yes i know it is. *sigh*) i don't know what she's like either, just see her fleeing to her car in the morning with her head tucked low, then speeding off like the devil were chasing after her. total walk of shame.

eta: i have never spoken to the gal, all of my ruminations on her relationship with anyone in my neighbor's house is 100% speculation.

She deserves a bit of bitching, erin_o, but maybe replace the "not appreciated" with, "it would really help" or something.

Just got some more details from the veterinary clinic. What they didn't tell Daniel or me yesterday, was that while the blood work was normal, there had been some blood in the UA. So Harvey really does have a UTI, but we managed to catch it at the very start. So the clavamox tablets were not given just to make me feel like I'd got something for all the money spent on lab work.

eh, nevermind. the aggressive side of me that wanted to walk up, knock on the front door, and ask the owner of the red kia to move her car 12 inches so that this broken-footed night shifter could park ifo her own hs (damnit) was defeated by the non-confrontational wuss who pulled the note and threw it away, hoping that the driver will notice the the white honda usu parked ifo my house is across the street and realize how crappy her parking job was and never ever do it again.