This one’s been brewing for awhile. Insights views etc welcome. I’ve seen both sides of this question.

Is it better to be a person or family who spends time chatting at the back fence, with the kids coming and going and you don’t rightly care if or what the neighbors know or think. In fact they are welcome to stop by anytime.
OR
Is it better to be a person or a family with so much going on that you are always going someplace. You may pass the neighbor who lives right next to you on the street without even recognizing them. You worry constantly about what the neighbors know or think about you. The thought of neighbors stopping by sends you into a tailspin. And you’re always concerned that on a bright night in the middle of the month a person might, might just peek in the window just out of curiosity with no ill intent.

As I’ve said, I’ve observed one or the other of these scenarios in various families. Observations, comments, pro’s, con’s, etc on this subject are all welcome?

i think the first idea is great i live alone on 20 acres and hae a 4 bedroom house to myself and i think you should know your neighbord and be friends but you shouldnt always be busy and they should stop by i know that i have loving neighbors that are like family to me and im all alone in my house (it gets scarry) thats what i think !! lol

wow no one posted anything else.... i feel lonely

Uh......... I'll post something!

ummmmmmmmmmm......

uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh......

hrmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

I dunno, I guess I don't know my neighbors that well, but we havn't lived in this neighborhood for that long yet... I sorta remember some of our old neighbors... One of them seemed like kindof a racist

that first scenario that you offered is my idea of what i want my life to be like. unfortunately right now it's more of a mixture. i'm usually pretty busy(coming and going)and i do like my privacy but i don't really care what people know or think they know. even though i'm pretty busy i don't mind if the neighbors stop by for a bit. i grew up in a pretty big extended family and we spent alot of time together. in our family the kids were pretty much always coming or going and there wasn't much you could do about that lol.

I prefer knowing my neighbors. It helps that we all watch out for each other. There are 4 apartments and only one man. Good to know there is a man in the complex just in case.
Life is too short to be that busy. You don't get to take the time to enjoy all the good stuff, like dancing in the rain in the middle of a thunder and lightening storm.

Im friendly but I can live next to you for 20 years and not get past hello, but I will look out for thair house in hopes they will in return.

I have lived in the same house for over 20 years now. I know by name the people 3 to 4 houses on each side of me, across from me and in behind me. We don't go to each other's homes to visit but we are a "family". We watch over each other's property and help each other out as required! I am fortunate that I have some awesome people living around me!

with apartment living I do not really know my neighbors that well since I have been in Columbus, but when I lived in a smaller town I had neighbors who stopped by pretty frequently, or we'd chat in the halls.

When I lived out in the country or in a neighborhood....we were always the house with kids running around and the back door constantly slamming. We talked w/ our neighbors all the time and popped in and out quite a bit. That would be my preference.

I talk to all my neighbours and they know me for all the right reasons. Not wild parties, etc! Although I have been tempted a few times!