Lawn rates above family?

[Pat K]

DEVO was right.

My neighbor is tearing down the swingset in his back yard. The reason is his 9 year old daughter and 6 year old son are killing the grass by playing in the yard!

When did yards de-evlove from the noble purpose of being a place for your kids to play, to being only a status symbol for the EXTREMELY ANAL?

If your children are grown or don't play outside then knock yourself out, make your yard a showplace. But if they want to run, jump and swing in the yard but you won't let them because they may bend a blade of grass, I think you may have your priorities a little messed up!

[Quetico]

My solution- leave the swing set and let the kids play. Just remove the turf under it. Put the swing set into a mulched, pea gravel or otherwise.

[jwhjr]

My kids have torn up the grass pretty good where the swingset is. Oh well... When they're grown I can fix it, but for now I couldn't care less

[echotrail]

My 3 sons are now grown and long gone after years of backyard sandboxes, tree houses, baseball, football, golf practice, broken windows, etc. It took all of two years to re-establish the lawn. Let 'em tear it up. The bonus is you know where they are.

[not_nuf_time]

My old high school baseball coach had a great saying, "I'm raising kids not grass". So when it comes to beat up trampled grass, it comes in handy as a reply.

[Powerstroke]

The kids tear it up, the dog tears it up.....oh well. My old boss spread mulch over the entire backyard so he didn't have to worry about it.

[Sandmannd]

Jeesh, never heard of that before. Who cares? My yard is there to enjoy. If it's tore up, big deal.

[paceman]

Wow that is just not right. What are the kids supposed to do now. Stay in the house eating junkfood and playing video games? I love the fact that the grass is gone around my swingset. That thing was a beast to put up....

[Down Deep]

The kids tore up the yard - then grew up and tore up their cars - now the grandchildren are out back tearing up the yard with grandpa. Tell you neighbor that I have some space for his kids to play.

[chasineyes]

Has anyone ever noticed that when people come over/walk by the house they will take the driveway up to talk instead of cutting across on the lawn. How about halloween...remember just running from house to house. Not now, you must walk down the drive and up the other drive. Is it any wonder why kids and adults are so [PoorWordUsage] fat!!!!

[chasineyes]

By the way...for all you who live in the northwoods and laugh at us metro folks...remember were all moving up that way and slowly converting everyone up there also:)

[toughguy]

Kids should be inside playing video games anyways. Not running around in the backyard trampling the grass!!

[jwhjr]

Kids should be inside playing video games anyways. Not running around in the backyard trampling the grass!!

It seems that far too many parents feel that way...

[Steve Bakken]

As anal as I am, and as frustrating as it is to try to constantly maintain and repair the lawn behind our kids, I consider those worn and tore-up spots wonderful reminders of the three blessings that God has given me for only a few short years. 20 years from now my lawn will be perfect again, but you only get to enjoy your kids for what seems like too short of a time and then you'll miss having those spots in the yard.

[harvey lee]

I use to be very anal about my lawn and everyone knew it. Now, if the grandkids tear it up and are having fun, so be it.