As soon as we arrive, we take the time to introduce ourselves to our immediate neighbors. A simple “Hello, we are moving into the neighborhood. I hope that the comings and goings of the day will not inconvenience you too much” could save you a bad start.
Once well settled, we invite the neighbors to a 5 to 7, a wine and cheese, a corn roast, or a barbecue to hang the rack. Inspiration can be found on the site of Neighbors Day organized in June by the Quebec Network of Healthy Cities and Villages.
We don’t hesitate to chat with our neighbors when we get home from work or when we walk around the neighborhood. A simple gesture that can make neighborhood life more pleasant.
Neighbors are consulted on restaurants and shops in the area. And we frequent them. The merchants get to know us, which earns us a big smile on each visit and small attention. Not to mention that by encouraging neighborhood businesses, we help them stay.
We pay attention
Noise is one of the main points of contention between neighbors. Do we have to do some work? We do them during the week or after 10 a.m. on Saturday and we take Sunday off. If we organize a party to which the neighbors are not invited, we notify them. And we avoid doing it every weekend!
Animals are also a source of contention. We make sure that our dog does not bark at the neighbors and does not defecate in their garden. Same thing for a kitty.
We get involved
Going to the neighborhood school park, dog park, swimming pool, or skating rink is a good way to establish ties with our neighbors. We can also register or enroll our children in the walking or cycling club, in swimming lessons, or in yoga workshops. Are we not sporty? We get involved in the organization of the neighborhood party or within a community organization.
We organize a movie night or a night of camping in the backyard for the neighborhood children. In addition to helping our children make friends, we give parents a break, which is likely to be appreciated!
If you have children of school age, you can get involved in school and extracurricular activities and thus meet other parents.
For mothers of young children, the CLSC and community organizations often organize classes, meetings, or activities for children. So many opportunities to break our loneliness.
In some neighborhoods or suburban municipalities, there are so few cars that you can still play in the street. We take the opportunity to organize a game of hockey or dodgeball with the neighbors.
Despite our goodwill, a dispute has arisen with our neighbors. We avoid insults and swear words, which only serve to make matters worse. It is best to negotiate common ground.
