How to be a Courteous Neighbor

No wonder Mr. Rogers was the best neighbor in the neighborhood. He was friendly, warm, and very welcoming of people new to the neighborhood. Being a good neighbor shouldn’t be hard; all you have to do is be considerate of your neighbors and know good neighbor etiquette. Review these tips below to ensure that you’re doing your neighborly duties.

Respect your neighbor’s space.

Don’t leave tools or toys on their lawn, or park your car on their grass. Uninvited drop-ins can be fine at a minimum and only if you know each other well. Just because someone is having a party doesn’t mean you are invited.

Remember that not every person is an animal lover.

Clean up after your pets and keep barking to a minimum. Dogs should be kept in a yard or on a leash at all times.  Letting your pets roam the neighborhood is not only unsafe, but often against the law.

Know the Animal Control Laws in our area:

• Animal Control laws for Kansas City, Missouri
• Animal Control laws for Lee’s Summit, Missouri
• Animal Control laws for Blue Springs, Missouri
• Animal Control laws for Overland Park, Kansas

If you have an issue with a neighbor, go directly to them to try to solve your differences.

Being petty is no way to solve problems. Even if you disagree with what their house might look like or how they decorate or whatever might bother you, be respectful. Before bringing up a grievance, make sure it really is that important to confront them about.

Keep your lawn maintained.

Don’t let it get overgrown or unruly. You should take pride in your home and in your whole neighborhood. Don’t let junk and debris pile up in your yard and become THAT house in the neighborhood.  Maintaining the exterior of your home should be a regular occurrence.

Celebrate respectfully.

Everyone loves a good barbecue and celebration. Social events are great. Just make sure not to play loud music late into the night or let your guests block driveways or be obnoxious.  Clean up after your party. It wouldn’t hurt to throw a neighborhood block party or open house on occasion to get to know everyone.

Be considerate of the Veterans in your neighborhood during outdoor celebrations…

Especially those events where you will shooting off fireworks. For the many vets dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder, the sound of the fireworks popping is all too similar to the sound of bullets making holidays like July 4th a very stressful time of managing the intense reactions to the sounds of fireworks. No veteran who served this country would ever want to stop fireworks, but if you are planning on setting off fireworks, give your veteran neighbors a courtesy heads up. Remember, everyone deserves to celebrate and feel comfortable during the festivities.

Respect goes a long ways. Courtesy is a major factor in maintaining neighborly relationships. Living in harmony with a group of people can be challenging at times.  Just remember that you are all sharing a space and are likely to be neighbors for many years. Being peaceful is your best bet to a friendly neighborhood and being the best neighbor you can be.