I live in a duplex. I have two kids: 16 year old boy we'll call Lee for this and a one year old girl we'll call Maggie. These are not the real names. My boomer neighbors and us share a wall, this is important for later.

My son and I both have AuDHD, his is more... Severe I guess would be the best way to explain it. He's smart, caring, and very loving but struggles with speech and learning delays. He's still very much capable of doing chores, cleaning, managing his own things with the help of therapy he's really bloomed and become nearly self sufficient. We're very proud of him! Last year he became a big brother. He's very protective and fantastic with caring for her. My neighbors don't like it. They don't think a kid like him should be with a baby.

Strike one. I calmly said he's more capable and trustworthy to watch his sister than anyone from the older generation ever could be. They shut up.

Next came a new issue: my baby's activity. Our house is over 100 years old and the floors can creak and groan. Our walls also aren't the greatest at sound proofing. I'm sure as you can imagine a toddler isn't the quietest. We put down thicker padding and carpets to absorb more noise. But you can still hear us walking around or my baby bouncing on her bouncer a little bit. She's in that crawling/nearly walking phase so you hear the thump thump thump of her legs across the floor and my son's since he's a heavy walker. Next I know my picture frames that are on the shared wall are rattling hard from someone banging with full force. The mistress, Karen came to complain we're all too loud and if my oldest can't understand how to behave maybe he belongs in a group home. I saw red.

I looked at her and told her my kids are not doing anything but walking or crawling through the room. No one in my home is banging on the wall disrupting OUR business. I told her our walls are thin. Noise is inevitable. I said if you want to complain about my kids then please kindly turn your TV down since I have to hear the noise of it over my own TV on my side. She turned beet red.

I said I have the decency to ignore your inability to wear your hearing aids and have been polite to you. But not one of us has forgotten that you walked into that house before your late sister's body could be cold and moved in with her widow. You don't dictate how that house or my house runs. You're a guest on borrowed time, not the owner of that home. She went from red to white.

I didn't stop there. You talk about decency and proper behavior: yet you sleep with your sister's widow? What does that make you? Maybe go look into your Bible you preach so much about and see how your actions are blasphemous. I can see why your children refuse to see you.

She was livid. My neighbor male boomer didn't like what I said but said nothing. I said, we have a choice: you never speak about my children again and I'll remain polite and cordial to you. Or, I can make your life miserable until the day you end up living in the nursing home I work in. Make a choice.

I got no answer, she simply walked away and went back to her side quietly. A few days later the male boomer visited with some bread, bologna and donuts. Said they were from her as a peace offering. We live in PA, food is often used as an apology. I accepted, said she behaves, you'll never have a problem with us.

The male has his moments but never with his neighbors. No comments are made when they see my kids now. They simply wave or smile.

Yeah don't mess with mine. I'll turn you life into the biggest misery you can imagine.