‘HOA Karen’ gets Owned by Dad after Daughters Get Complaints for Playing Outside

If you grew up in the '90s, there's a good chance you spent a significant amount of time outdoors. Countless hours engaging in tons of different games with your friends. Jumping competitions in swimming pools, capture the flag — you name it. You probably were allowed to have all the fun you wanted with one rule: Just make sure you're home by dark.

And if you were lucky enough to have a yard, then "after hours" playtime could continue. Those days seem to have certainly changed. But in this TikToker's instance, probably not in the way you would think.

That's because some 2024 youngsters were outside and having fun. A refreshing sight for a generation some would argue collectively doesn't even know how to play outdoors. But someone wasn't too happy about the fact that these youngsters were having a grand old time.

And it's probably a figure many grown-ups would happily engage in maligning: the head of a local homeowner's association.

In the social media user's video, which was captured by a doorbell camera, the HOA head can be seen chasing after kids playing outdoors.

The girls run inside the house, and their dad approaches the door to "see what the problem was."

The exchange that followed between Dad and HOA has since been viewed over 35.6 million times in a video posted by an account called "Daily Dose of Masculinity" (@masculineessence_).

"So I’m gonna ask you to keep them inside. OK? So I am the president of the HOA. I’ve had numerous people complaining about a noise complaint. Numerous,” the HOA president tells the man.

"They’re being kids," the father replies in a matter-of-fact tone.

However, the HOA president maintains their stance. "I have, like, 10 houses now, contacted me. They’re like, barking at me and running."

The dad refused to entertain the idea his children were doing anything wrong. "They’re doing kids’ stuff. They’re kids. That’s what’s wrong with this world. Because people like you and those other people don’t let kids be kids."

He ends their conversation with a polite but firm, "OK. So we appreciate you stopping by. Have a nice night."

Commenters who saw the video praised how Dad handled the situation. One remarked that they didn't see an issue either with the kids' behavior.

"If it’s before 10 p.m., let the kids enjoy themselves."

Another pointed out the glaring hypocrisy: "'Make those kids go inside and stare at their phone’ also ‘Why are kids always on their phone and inside?'"

Then there were those who highlighted some of their favorite lines Dad rattled off to the HOA president. “BS 10 houses contacted you. Great job handling that!"

Furthermore, it appears this situation spoke to an issue larger than standing up to a pedantic HOA leader: It prompts us to consider how modern children elect to spend their time.

Back in the day, it was considered normal for folks to spend the majority of their time outdoors, which is a far cry from current statistics.

A study by the National Wildlife Federation found that kids now spend an average of four to seven minutes a day in unstructured (not at school) outdoor play. Yes, minutes. Compare that to hours of bike rides, street hockey, and general adolescent chaos previous generations enjoyed.

Youngsters today are opting for screens in climate-controlled environments — mainly smartphones. In 2021, 31 percent of 8-year-olds in the U.S. owned a smartphone — a massive jump from the 11 percent of Bluey watchers in 2015.

By the time most kids become 15 years old, that smartphone figure increases to basically 100 percent. Kids now spend an average of 29 hours a week on their phones.

It appears, however, that some parents are opting to limit smartphone usage. Many want their kids to have real-life social experiences outside of a digital network constantly pushing ads, memes, and messaging from various sources all vying for their attention.

Matthew McConaughey made the news recently revealing that he didn’t let his kids have social media until age 15.

Moreover, studies have also shown that outdoor play isn’t just fun; it’s critical for physical and mental health as well. This is probably why it was especially frustrating for commenters to see the HOA president get so up in arms over kids playing outdoors.

Neighborhoods used to be alive with the sounds of kids playing. But those days it seems are mostly over now across America. And while there are a lot of folks who are quick to criticize younger generations for their faults, when it comes down to it, some Karens will always be Karens. On the other hand, some dads will always be dads.