When working from home, your neighbors become familiar faces – for better or worse.

When this homeowner encounters a persistent nine-year-old with a growing sweet tooth and fading manners, a battle of wills begins.

The ensuing showdown of petty revenge is as amusing as it is frustrating.

Read on for all the details!

9 year olds petty revenge against me in retaliation of my pettiness to her

I work from home. The 9 year old across the street is homeschooled.

We see each other ALOT, as we are always home.

The homeowner gives a bit of background.

Bought the house 5 years ago, so have watched her through the cute 5 year old phase.

She was always polite and sweet, so I spoiled her.

I’d save the Sunday comics for her, gave her my old Hello Kitty bike bell and I always bought an extra bag of Halloween candy each year, just so I could give her a piece of candy whenever she came over.

But it seems the sweetness of their relationship has worn off.

She has gotten to the point she just says, “Candy? (pause) candy? (pause) candy?” and helps herself, no more please or thank you and climbs on my counters!

Petty part…my side

They’re determined to nip this in the bud.

She is playing in the yard. I drive up and see her, so I close the garage door as quickly as possible to avoid the, “Candy Candy Candy” routine.

She waits about 2 mins and comes to the front door. Rings the doorbell for 20 seconds straight, I ignore it.

Then 30 seconds, then 1 min, this goes on for about 10 mins.

She finally leaves.

But they aren’t off the hook.

Later, I go to check the mail and she comes running up to me.

“Candy? I came by when you got home, why didn’t you answer?”

Me, “Oh, I must have been in the shower.”

Give her the candy and comics to make her go away.

But she wasn’t going to forget about this so soon.

Kids petty revenge…

Two days later, I walk across the street (right after they get home) to give her mom back a book I had borrowed.

No answer.

I knock again, I know they are home. (I just saw the car pull into the garage.)

So, I give up and start to walk back across the street.

Then it happens.

Suddenly, the kid runs up to me in a bathrobe and towel wrapped around her head.

“Oh, I was in the bath, sorry. Do you need something?” (She still has clothes on under the bathrobe.)

I hand her the book for her mom and know I have been defeated in petty revenge and stalk off home.

Well played kid.

Nothing gets past her.

What did Reddit think?

This redditor doesn’t see this headed in a good direction.

Surely her bratty behavior can be corrected.

To win this battle, he’ll just have to get into the headspace of a kid.

Manners are important!

This little girl proves a worthy adversary, delivering a taste of sweet irony.

The student has outsmarted the teacher.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check this one out about a man who created a points system for his inheritance, and a family friend ends up getting almost all of it.