Dreading the school holidays with neighbours screaming children

I do sympathise, I live in a cul-de-sac and experience similar noise in the daytime. I personally can cope with that, it’s when they are still out at 11.30 in the evening shouting and screaming that I really struggle. I can’t understand why their parents would let them be out at that time of night.

At my previous address the elderly lady next door had her grandson bringing all his noisy mates round every day in the school hols. One day she'd had enough and I heard her quizzing "the tribe" as to why they ALWAYS came round to our cul-de-sac and unbelievably she was told "mum said to come round here because she can't hear the telly......"
Priceless!

That is awful Promrose53. Noisy children playing is ‘normal’. Is the dog a pup or adult? It’s only been with them a short time and will be unsettled being abandoned outside. Have you told them it’s barking -I’m trying to avoid being over critical, maybe if they knew they’d leave the dog indoors.
But -it’s not a good start. Shepherds are very loyal to their people and an intelligent sensitive breed.
Can you go and see them? If it continues RSPCA - dog warden?

I think I would rather hear kids than barking dogs. We have lived down here for 30 years and love the peace and quiet.

About a month ago a neighbour acquired a German Shepherd X and they go out in the evenings and leave it barking for hours in the garden.

Kids do scream these days, particularly girls instead of merely shouting.

Could you move house Kiri?
If you don’t own the house and not privately rented ask the Council to house you in a quieter location?

I think a lot of older people especially if you suffer from nerves or mental health issues should consider living in older peoples complexes/ areas because if you live in mixed aged areas you are going to encounter babies / kids/ teens and there is going to be lots of noise, laughter and squabbling in the evenings weekends and school holidays this doesn’t mean I don’t feel for you Kiri it’s a mix that isn’t working for you because of your condition

I used to have a number of kids live either side of me (8
kids one side and 5 the other and a few more down the street) and on the whole I liked hearing them out playing but then I don’t suffer any anxieties The football used to come over numerous times but I told them never to knock after 7 and they didn’t
I also remember when I was a kid about 8/9 we used to play out and do handstands up against the end house wall until they came out and told us off we d wait a bit or till the next day and do it again it must have been so irritating for them hearing these feet bump bump on their wall but we were just kids and meant no harm
If the kids play out at the back spend more time in the front or vice versa and put your own music or TV on so it shuts the kids noise out, because it’s irritating you it is sounding louder and worse than maybe it is, because you are so focused on it
Can you find some relaxation methods including headphones playing your own music, go out and about when the weathers nice. Try to stop thinking about it . The more you dread it the worse it will be
When my Dad was quite old the people next door got a dog and left it alone, it barked all day long nearly sent my poor Dad round the bend

If you need to stay in the same town have you looked to see if you could move nearby to a quieter street, or one with traffic.. it sounds like a your street is more suited to families. You would obviously have the cost of moving but it might be worth it.. Another option might be to out rent your house and to find a flat you can rent to explore other areas..

I really feel for you having lived next door to children who kicked balls against the side of my house...

That sounds so wearing Kiri. Screaming is very disturbing!
We used to play out when I was a child and occasionally needed telling to be quieter! Back then any adult could tell us off and we would listen.
I hope the screamers grow up fast or move away soon. In the mean time could secondary glazing (to deaden the sound but not stop the light)in one room help?

Totally agree with you. We had neighbours who had 3 children who were out morning, noon and night.
Often people will say how lovely it is to hear children playing. Not to me it isn't!

I used to make,my daughter go in if she was too noisy.

I also have some very loud neighbours :
one is elderly and has fits of screaming hysterics at her husband over every activity in the garden .The first time it happened I thought that he was murdering her and nearly called the Police .
My father said it was normal for her .
Normal for her to scream and also to trespass in my father's garden .
I've asked her not to but she has done it since .
Her immediate neighbours have their grandchildren there for some weekends, some bank holidays and right through every school holiday .
They have a pool and a trampoline and it is deafening all day and into the night .
Another has a dog which gets extremely stressed as he or she is left alone when the owner goes to work .
And he or she barks non stop .
Another has BBQ parties and deafening music .

It's a sleepy suburb and it used to be blissfully peaceful , now it certainly isn't .

I can do a painting in the garden , but have long since given up reading .

I'm thinking of playing my music- classical , jazz and opera loudly !

Thank you so much everyone, you have given me some hope xxxx

You have,my sympathy!
I have two little girls playing out who are desperate to get in my flat, sit on my lap, hug me and kiss me constantly, and I'm afraid to say I don't feel the same way about them.

It makes me feel beside myself, the constant chattering, bickering, touching stuff and toys everywhere.

You must go out for a period of time during the day so that you can escape the noise. Pack a picnic, go out walking and then to church or a community space (eg library) where your know yoi can be calm. When you go home, you know the noise will start so put on a film or interesting documentary - listen through headphones so you are totally immersed. The time will soon go when the kids are back at school.

Agree with you AGAA4 about screaming. That puts playing ‘out’ on a whole new level.

It sounds dreadful. I'm afraid I would be moving house and make the demands in your life (mother/hubby's work) work around it. If it means hubby having to add a bit of extra time to allow for travel/work and adding a bit of extra time to hospital appointments then it's got to be worth for your own mental well being. You matter too

I feel your pain and understand fully how miserable it can make you. My parents used to dread school holidays and weekends as their girl neighbours couldn’t play without screaming. When mum and dad retired they got themselves an allotment. Not just to work on but to sit in peace ! I work in a school
And find many many parents of today are selfish, lazy and care for no one except themselves. I do hope you find a solution. Xxx

Thank you so much everyone xx

My children used to play out with other children in the neighborhood, mostly in my garden but in the street too. They were taught not to scream as I think that screaming is an alarm sound and if I hear a scream I think someone is in trouble.
Children playing doesn't bother me but screaming would.

You sound like such a lovely person.

I think you should seek some help, get some noise cancelling headphones, may plan a couple of nice days out somewhere peaceful.

Good luck

Our generation had such freedom to play out. We weren’t supervised, we somehow knew about 12 to go in for food, the out till five ish when we’d be fed the play out till almost bed time.
Traffic is the big risk to children so anyone living in a cul de sac will have children playing there.

Thank you so much, I have tried everything. I also have double glazing, earphones, white noise machine, strongest anti depressants. I do not go out into my garden, I lock myself in my house with windows and doors shut. Unfortunately there are 3 separate families in 3 separate homes, so when they all chuck their children out at the same time, there are 9 children ranging from 5 to 13 years excluding all their friends, so it becomes a school playground outside my doorstep, with screaming and shouting all day, everyday. The parents are abusive and bullies and are not approachable so I am also scared that they will do something horrible to us. It is a lose lose situation. I just have to pray and find a way to eventually leave.

I sympathise. I hate the start of the summer holidays, it means I can no longer sit in my garden. We have 3 households with primary aged kids nearby. One has a child who spends hours bouncing on their trampoline screaming on full volume. One has a child who “performs” song and dance routines at full volume, always out of tune. The third house has two boys who seem to spend their entire time kicking a football against their (metal) garage door. We also have a park 5 minutes walk away. I admit to yelling “Take them to the bloody park!” on several occasions!

I wish there was some way of stopping this senseless screaming. A youth club operates at the back of our garden, not too noisy, but some girls gather outside the hut and let out ear-piercing shrieks, usually when teased by the boys.
One girl did it the evening those poor women were murdered by a crossbow, and I recall the neighbours reporting hearing terrible screams; sometimes I do think someone is being attacked and go and check, safely on the other side of my high fence. The youth Leader says she tries to stop it, for that reason, but some children seem to scream willy-nilly at home and no-one takes any notice.
I do sympathise, Kiri. Double glazing?