Neighbors

It is human nature for people to be nosy (or so it seems, lol). What I would do, is print out a flyer (w/ kids help). On the flyer state that you are new to the area and want to get to know your neighbors and invite them over for a "tour" of your home and some cookie and drinks. Maybe some water play for the kids. Maybe the start to many 'block" parties over the summer!

take family walks, it is good quality time!! The older kids could use roller skates or skateboards along and you can push the baby in the stroller with you hubby or alone. If you let the older kids ride bikes around the block then yopu and baby could walk with stroller, people love babies so it will be a great conversation starter. Then you can intro yourself and as an icebreaker ask them somethinhg about the area, even if it is something you already know the answer to, it will get you talking. Next thiong you know they will be introducing you to others in the neighborhood, it is especially nice if you meet up with 1 or more other moms in the neighborhood, so you can have some comon interests to complain about-haha!!! Good Luck--C.

I would introduce myself to the immediate neighbors just to let them know who you are, what kind of cars you drive, etc. so that you can keep an eye on each others houses. My neighbor, although I don't know him personally, came over and gave us contact numbers in case we ever needed to reach him when he was out.

It would depend on the neighborhood as to whether I would bake cookies for any of them. Maybe some of them will have kids and you can meet through your kids. Good Luck.

I think the cookie thing or something similar is great. True story... when my boyfriend and I first moved out we were moving things into our place and our one neighbors came over and knocked on our door. He is a "special" kind of guy... knocked on our door and asked "Do you have any beer?" Of course we said no because we don't drink beer and our new neighbor held up a 12 pack and replied "Would you like some?" That was 7 years ago come this November and we are the best of friends. Went to his wedding... he was the first non family member to visit me at the hospital right after having the kids and from time to time we get together to grill and just hang out. So I think no matter what you do... it's all in the imagination you put into it. Good luck.

Hi, first I want to say good for you that you want to meet your neighbors! Hardly anyone cares about that anymore. When I moved into my new house I wrote a cheery little note saying who I was, who my family was, where we moved, my mobile number - things like that to the people on each side of me and directly across the street. About 4-6 weeks later we invited people over for drinks (make sure you have ice tea, sodas etc in addition to wine as to not offend the non-drinkers). It takes some guts to reach out to new neighbors but it will be worth it. Also, before I moved out of my old place I left a note for the new people telling them about the neighborhood, neighbors etc. Best of Luck!

Tammi! I moved to my new home almost 2 years ago. My hubby and I are in the yard almost every week doing some kind of gardening, yard work or home improvement. It amazes me how many people walk by without even a word. I always stop and wave and say hi when someone passes, but rarely do they stop and talk. Anyway, I met a few really nice neighbors when we would take a walk after dinner. We would pile the kids on the bikes, ride on toys, whatever, and just leisurely go around the neighborhood. Now, when I am walking, I do stop and say hello and introduce myself. In a community of about 60 houses, I would say I know the names of 5 of my neighbors. We became very friendly with another family on our street and now have a monthly game night where the parents get together to play games (pictionary, whatever) and the kids play. We do a potluck and just have a real nice time. That is the kind of neighborhood I want to live in.

In my old neighborhood, I planned the 4th of July block party. It was ALOT of work, and probably only 1/3 to 1/2 of the community showed up (pretty good, I guess) but those who did had alot of fun and got to meet their neighbors. I am considering doing it again this year....

Oh yeah, although they are usually not very fun, you can also meet people at the HOA (if you have one) meetings.

Good luck!

Hi , Tammy ...
Take this with a grain of salt , because I'm different than most people , but I don't really want to know my neighbors. I only want to know that they aren't on the sex offender website , and still , you never really know about some one.

From my experience , neighbors are best kept at arms' length. I really don't like people bugging me all the time , and some people don't have the manners to know when to come by or call first , etc. ... common courtesy. I mean , I can see wanting a picturesque neighborhood where everyone has each other's back , but I've never seen that exist. If everyone is kept to a distance , there won't be as much grounds for arguing , which is terrible because they live near you. I see it as a way to keep peace.
~ A.

Here's a quirky idea:

You're an art teacher, right? Are there any art lessons you can devise for your kids that would put you out in front of the house, or in a central location in the neighborhood? In this family, we're all artists; and we've always found that if you put yourself out in public to draw, people can't help bugging you! Maybe you could even put together a kids' art club for the neighborhood (invite parents, too, in case they're nervous about surrendering their kids to a stranger--or in case you have to duck out for a diaper change or two.)

One roundabout way that I've wound up meeting neighbors is through the nearest playgrounds, libraries, and churches. If you look up your county's website, you might find some great little parks that only the surrounding neighborhoods would know. Bring extra sand toys/balls/bubbles/sidewalk chalk to share. You're bound to wind up chatting with other moms, only to discover that you live just a few blocks from each other.

Use your gifts! Your neighbors are fortunate to have you! (Any chance you're in the Summerport area? ; ) )

I have lived in my house for 6 years and just last month decided I didn't know enough of my neighbors. I went one Saturday morning and invited as many as were home to my house that evening for a neighborhood get together. It was a cool night so my husband and I sat chairs around outside and we sat in the back yard with a small fire in the fire pit. I learned what they eahc do for a living, how many kids each has, (and grandkids). It was really nice and now we wave a lot more. I plan to do it again soon and catch those I didn't last time.
Good luck
L.

Take the little one for a walk on the weekends during the day, or on the weekdays right around the time people are returning from work. That's how we met some of our neighbors. We loaded the baby up in her stroller and would go for a walk about 6pm, and we would just run into people and say hello!! Just an idea!

Like everyone else said it's a great idea!

In reference to cookies, I would bake more then one sort, and make sure you have something that is allery-friendly. I did the same thing when we moved last time and I took chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies. I had a couple turn down the peanut butter due to allergies and one turn down the chocolate. I'd recommend sugar cookies with hershey kisses on some of them, so the chocolate lovers can get their fix and everyone else can go allergy-free.

We moved into our new house about 10 months ago and really don't know anyone at all but just recently we did meet our neighbors across the street, after they backed out of there driveway and hit our car!!! And then we found out that they did have any insurance on the vehicle and they are not nice at all!!! I know this doesn't answer your question but just thought I would share! I really want to move again!!

we live in a tight neighborhood. i live on a dead end street, we all know everyone, except for the 2 new renters at the end of the street, they keep to themselves. we have about 15 kids that live on this street, not including mine. one of my neighbors became a very good friend of mine which turned out to be a bad thing. she was the gossip queen, so watch out for those. she about ruined the tightness on our street. everyone is happy that she is moving out within a month. yee haw. anyway, get to know your neighbors but that much. now that i got that out, here's something we did: because we have alot of different ethnic group living on this street, we put out flyers to have a block party, and cook foods from your ethnic background. we all brought our grills and tables out to the front of the house and everyone was able to walk to each house and say hi get some food etc, all the kids played. we had jerk chicken from the jamaicans and some jmbalyia (cant spell)from the people from louisiana, german food, spanish dishes etc. we did bbq pork. the whole street enjoyed it. we actually did it a few more times. instead of just you getting to know your neighbors, it was a way for all the neighbors to get to know each other. well, good luck.

I'm not sure if you're moving to a new house, which usually has new landscaping, but if not, you can always walk over to visit if you're outside planting flowers or pruning bushes. If you're out long enough the neighbors are bound to come outside at some point. That's how I met my neighbors--they walked over to me while I was planting flowers. I'm kind of shy so I usually wave to my neighbors but sometimes we meet in our driveways and chat. The other day my neighbor walked over (while I was in the yard with my daughter on the way to the mailbox) with a little pint of strawberries. She had just bought a huge flat and thought we'd enjoy a few of them.

I am a Partylite consultant and hosted a combination Partylite and Pampered Chef party after we moved in. We invited all our neighbors for a get together. My friend who is the Pampered Chef consultant came over and did all of the food and we just hung out and met our neighbors.

Try hosting a neighborhood bbq at your house. We did that when we moved to Jacksonville and it was such a success that we ran out of everything and people still stayed. Then they talked about it until we moved 18 months later.

Supply everything yourself and make it easy for your neighbors the first time. After that, you could organized one of those wandering meals. Appetizers at your house, salad at someone elses, main dish at someone else, etc... Have one house designated as where the kids will be with a couple of babysitters. That way, you can get to know your neighbors, the kids can get to know each other and you can complete a converstation!!

Good luck.

KarynG

I feel your pain Tammy. I have lived in my home for 18 months and only met the neighbor on one side of me (I only see or speak to him about once a month when I see him) and a neighbor across the street. We just had a new person move in across the street and we went over to introduce ourselves and give them a bottle of wine to welcome them, but they weren't home, just their mother. Never heard anything from them yet. Been about a month. I think the cookies are a good idea of a way to break the ice, but it seem nowadays noone really wants to know their neighbors. You moving to my neighborhood, I could use a neighbor like you, haha. If your moving to Port St. John, shoot me a line.

G.

Tammi-Baking cookies and knocking on a door is a wonderful way to get to know your neigbors. I remember about eight years ago when we moved into a new neighborhood, the neighbors all came over with a bottle of wine--while we were moving in! How wonderful to be greeted as soon as we came into the neighborhood. Maybe you will be lucky and they will come to you first too, but, if not, as I said, your idea is a great way to meet people and let them know you want to make a connection. Good luck!

Hi Tammi,

I moved 2 years ago into a new neighborhood, the month I moved in they were having their annual block party. Litterally the whole street is involved. We block off both entrances to the street with cones & we watch out for people needing to get through. The kids all get out there & play & each family bring their grills out front & there is a community table of goodies that everyone contributes to. We are lucky enough to have a couple of musicians that get out there and play & sing for us as well. It has been great getting to know the neighbors & having an entire afternoon & evening to mingle. Why don't you be the one to plan & excecute your own block party. Just make up fliers & put it on everyones front door. The first one will be the hardest, but you might just meet some great people. I am so happy my block does it every year. You might even want to start doing what we are doing, asking everyone to email you or drop information into your mailbox about their families & then someone can read the information & introduce each family at the party. Hope this helps. If ou do not feel comfortable doing that, everyone loves cookies & I think that is a great way to get people to open the door & talk to you. Good Luck.