Noisy children.

Sara

I had a nephew who was incredibly loud, any kind of excitement and he was screeching and squealing at top volume. We were constantly having to shush him.
I can imagine having a child like that next door, being allowed to play outside for long periods of time with parents winding him up by roaring and shouting themselves, and often accompanied by the constant thudding of a football against your fence could make you feel that every time you go out into your garden you're being bombarded with noise.

I don't think it has to be literally constant to become very stressful. Even a couple of hours in the morning and a couple of hours in the afternoon can feel very invasive.

These parents need to understand the difference between their family playing together outside and enjoying their garden , and making unreasonable levels of noise on a frequent basis that makes it difficult for others to enjoy theirs.

Sounds like a job for ‘Classic FM’

We have a couple of screamers next door. I heard the other day they are home schooled! More ruddy noise.

I do get the football thing against a shared fence, that would probably drive me mad, and it wound be very irresponsible parents who didn’t put a stop to that.

Bluebelle..........^I like hearing kids scream and shout^

you forgot to add....so long as they are not next door to you.

We complained about football outside our house! Was told they are family homes what do you expect? I expect children to be respectful of other peoples properties, knocking down plants etc, equally scratching our cars in our own driveway! We have a two year old who plays in the road up to 7pm! My grandson is in bed by 7pm and he 3! Some children are allowed to do what they like!

Ask them politely to stop the ball kicking as it is really annoying and noisy. If you haven't told them they will not know... how could they. Buy ear plugs as well. I hope you have a better summer

This is really difficult, firstly it’s been a weird and difficult year for us all, it’s always hard when neighbours are noisy !

We are those noisy neighbours, I had three children in five years and they are now all adults. I thank my lucky stars we didn’t have a year long lockdown when they were small !

They were extremely lively, though were good a bedtime and quiet during the night.

We live in a terraced house so all can hear our neighbours when in the gardens, to add to this we also have dogs! Dogs and children are noisy, mine were walked and exercised at least once a day, dogs and children, and I really tried my best to keep them quiet when home, but to be honest sometimes it’s so hard

We live in a small and very quiet village in the depth of southwest France.
I always worry when my 2 lively and noisy grandsons come for their month long holiday (fingers firmly crossed that they can come this summer).
I do apologise to my nearest neighbours, they are quite elderly and I worry about all the happy noises plus their small motorbike, the jumping in the pool!
Luckily they don’t mind at all and even enjoy hearing them!
But I suppose it’s only for a few weeks!

It’s a tricky one. When I moved here 3 years ago I was delighted with all the lovely neighbours I have. Last year, the family next door bought a very large trampoline & put it in their very small back garden. I got up one morning to discover it very close to the dividing fence & a few feet away from my French windows. The privacy I had is now gone & the endless screaming plus the thwacking noise the kids make when trampolining drives me crazy! However, I like the family & I know they bought the thing in desperation while we were all in lockdown & the kids were stuck at home. I certainly don’t want to fall out with them, so I’m just hoping they outgrow it soon ( they’ve already broken it, but taped it up again ?) Meanwhile, I have planted fruit trees in containers & put them down the dividing fence in an effort to screen them off a bit. ?? ?

I feel for you. I had extremely noisy children next door some years ago. Four of them. I often found two or three of them in my front or back garden searching for their ball without asking me. I told them I would always throw the ball back if I found it, but they still climbed my fence and came in.

Speaking to parents rarely works I think. They tend to then scapegoat you in the neighbourhood as a misery guts. Forget trees for screening sound, I tried it. If I had had the money I would have gone for an expensive fence that can actually help deaden noise.

If the parents do turn out to be amenable folk, you could suggest a small goal for the kids to aim at that would prevent the thump thump thump on your fence.

For your sake I hope a For Sale sign goes up soon. It could happen.

All the best.

Hard one.
But I would get noise cancelling headphones - while you can't enjoy the birdsong, you will still be able to enjoy sitting outside. Put on a playlist with your favourite songs and even sing along so you have joy.
It's not easy but if you say something it may make it worse.

Yes I love hearing children laughing and playing, but we have a family up the road as soon as there children come out that’s the end of hearing the little voices because this family take over and it’s constant unbearable noises, luckily I’m not next door I’m down the road, with my lovely neighbours and adorable children, there also out early in the morning with the ball, I do feel sorry for the neighbours up that end,

You have my sympathy annsixty. I'm surprised how many here think that all day screaming and ball kicking is OK. My particular gripe is radios being played loudly outside, usually by workmen, especially irritating as you can hear a lot of bass noise.

an sixty I think your senses are heightened now after a long period of Lockdown and winter with peace and quiet. Easter holidays and improvement of weather has now given the children more freedom. I do think kicking the fence is definitely something you could have a word about.

Yes children can be noisy; and this is much better than anti social adult behaviour bad enough to warrant intervention by the authorities!

However, I still believe all children should be taught to be considerate of others. Perhaps you could have a quiet - non-complaining - word with their parents explaining how it affects you , and that you sometimes need to have some quiet time. Negotiate if possible.

I know exactly how you feel annsixty.
We have a family who moved into the close last year and the girl of around 6/7 shouts and screams whenever she is in the garden,yet her brother is not ast all loud ,i understand children make a noise,but the bawling and shouting is damn annoying,and spoils our sitting in the garden with a cup of tea.
I could take a bet that where they moved from are jumping for joy.

I think many of you are missing the point here. Poor Anne sixty ! It’s not a one off squeal of joy or fun- those kids are undisciplined and are a bloody nuisance . Those parents sound to be lazy of any discipline and totally inconsiderate of everyone else but themselves & their little darlings. Kids having fun outdoors is great - shrieking foghorns who are not told to keep the shrieking down - is rude inconsiderate and enough to cause great upset to a peaceful neighbour. I’m with Ann on this matter - walk in her shoes before you criticise her feelings.

Cossy and Pamcuthbert
I think you make very good points, lockdown has been horrible for everyone, but take it from me, with three young children in the house, it’s been extremely difficult to keep them occupied. I am so grateful for this sunshine, yes they are outside now searching for Easter eggs, running around and shouting a bit, but I really can’t see anything offensive about it.

familes don't seem to take their children to the park any more do they........I live in a flat and just at the end of the road is a large open park where people walk through to and from town/work etc it has river running through with fish and ducks waiting to be fed. also swings slides ect.
Next door flat has two small boys 3 and 4 ..been their since born. have never been to that park. just scream and shout on the balcony.......I offered to take them but was turned down. They need to run on the hills and get rid of their 'steam' while having fun

Annsixty you say you asked this question before and you were not very pleased with the response here. Are you expecting something different this time? I have a school at the bottom of my garden. It has been eerie quiet for so long. I am delighted to hear happy children are back again acting like children. Please try to embrace the childrens' sounds as sounds of happiness and health.

For the same reason of noise I am moving to a over 65 new build bungalow development. However I realise I am able to as I have no ties and am not sentimental about the house or area I live in. I also know that the grass in not always green on the other side but having known somebody in this development, the noise is not in your face. Kids should be seen and not heard thankfully is not widely used anymore and I for one am happy about that.

Annsixty
Sorry to hear you're having this problem from your neighbour's children and I have nothing but sympathy for you.
I know children need to play and let off steam, but I think they need to be taught to be considerate to others from an early age. Of course it is up to the parents to do this, and in turn that depends on how they were brought up.
Have you tried to talk to the parents, explaining how disturbing it is for you.
If our DGD is too noisy, I tell her that our neighbour has a sleep at that particular time which seems to quieten her.
We are very lucky with our neighbours, our side of the road we are all older, the young families ate on the other side so we rarely hear anything.
Good luck and try not to let it upset you.

Agree with previous comment. Keep the hedge high. It will help muffle the noise. I have some sympathy, as we all like some peace and quiet in our gardens during the good weather. But unfortunately children can be noisy and I think are entitled to run around and enjoy being outside, especially following winter and lockdown. If you don't work, under normal circumstances, presumably you will be able to enjoy your garden whilst the kids are at school. The only way you could probably guarantee peace and quiet would be to move to a house where mainly older people live. But bit drastic.

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I firmly believe that children should be seen and not heard. There's no need for screaming and I don't think kids realise how dangerous it is.

A couple of years ago a friend was walking past the park when she heard screams, she was just about to dial 999 when she realised it was the kids chasing each other and not someone being attacked. Now, thanks to screaming kids, anyone in genuine trouble might get ignored because people think it's just kids 'playing.'

I just want to set a hosepipe on them when they start screeching, there's no need for it.