Homeowner asks if they're wrong for refusing to remove poison ivy for neighbor's kids.

Maintaining peaceful and pleasant relationships with your neighbors can be important, but is it worth an awkward standoff when your neighbors are trying to remove the highly effective child-repellent in your yard?

So, when a conflicted neighbor decided to consult the moral compass of the internet otherwise known as Reddit's 'Am I the As*hole' about poison ivy, people were quick to help deem a verdict.

'AITA (Am I the A%*hole) for refusing to get rid of poison ivy at the edge of my yard?'

A family with young children recently moved into the house next door. The border between our yards (mostly on my side) has a ton of poison ivy. I'm extremely sensitive to it, so I haven't tried to control it except when it starts to grow too much into my yard (even when I do remove it, I have to suit up and wash everything thoroughly and I still somehow end up with a rash).

One of the parents came to my door last week to ask me to remove the poison ivy because their kids have been getting rashes when they play in that part of the yard. I said that I couldn't do that because of my sensitivity, but that they could just get it removed on their side and as long as their kids stayed in their own yard it wouldn't be an issue.

They said that even if they did that it would grow back into their yard from my side and that I could pay a company to remove it if I wouldn't do it myself. I said that I would only agree to that if they paid for all of it. They refused and said they would be looking into local laws about nuisance plants. We're not on speaking terms anymore.

Am I really the a$*hole here? It's their problem, so why should I have to pay for it? They could just teach their kids to avoid poison ivy like I do. I could understand it if I had planted it intentionally.

But poison ivy is a native plant that was here before I was and it's an important food source for bees and birds. Quite frankly, I'm grateful for it because it's been keeping their loud kids away from my yard who were really annoying me whenever I was out in the garden.

Poison ivy can be an itchy, irritating disaster, but is it more annoying than children screaming in the yard next door when you're trying to quietly read a book in the sun?

It does seem like this neighbor enjoys having a poisonous plant as a free yard guard, even if it's a recipe for some uncomfortable communication with the house next door. Children should learn how to avoid poison ivy, but should they have to worry about getting a rash every time they want to play on their own property? It's time for the amateur HOA to weigh in on this one.

Here's what the jury of internet strangers had to say about this prickly plant problem:

jbwise1221 said:

YTA (You're the A@*hole) - offering to split the cost strikes me as a very reasonable compromise. Digging in makes you an ah neighbor. Celebrating it as a poison child deterrent even more so. Your neighbors will figure out the laws and act accordingly, and will always hate your guts. It’s so nice having friendly neighbors who help each out but you chose poison.

CharmingSpend3947 said:

I don't understand why you keep the poison ivy that you are so sensitive to. It's a weed and a nuisance and an allergen. You can plant other things for the little creatures, maybe even plant a hedge to keep the neighbors out that doesn't cause rashes and require moonsuits to get near. YTA

jaede622 said:

NTA, they can clean up their side and teach the kids To avoid poison ivy and your yard. If it bugs them that much, you gave them permission to have it professionally removed.

jlb183 said:

NTA We have poison ivy in our yard. We are CONSTANTLY trying to get rid of it and in spite of our efforts, it keeps growing back, because it's a weed. So your neighbor asking you to get rid of it is a HUGE request, an extremely difficult task. It's in your yard. If they want it gone, let them take on that futile challenge themselves.

GrayTintedGlasses said:

YTA. You say it’s their problem even though you admit earlier in the post that it causes you problems when it grows further into your yard. Why not at least compromise and split the cost of removal since the poison Ivy is doing nothing for you? Because right now it just seems like you’re just not doing it because they asked

So, there you have it!

While the opinions were relatively mixed on this one, most people agree that this neighbor is being stubborn for the sake of it. The solution that would probably work best for everyone would be to split the cost of removal and then find another way to keep the kids away (a scary haunted tree, perhaps?). Good luck, everyone!