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Noisy kids

(39 Posts)
happydais Thu 10-Aug-17 20:25:27

I went on a short break to the Cape with my daughter and 13 year old grandson, staying with one of her friends who has two children 13 and 9 in a small house with 3 bedrooms and a big garden. It rained a lot of the time so the kids played indoors, bouncing a football up and down the hallway, bouncing off the walls, shrieking at the top of their voices. The parents don't mind......it's better than being on the computer! Then they're outside with hose pipe, spraying all the windows and throwing the ball around. Well, I don't know about you, but I just wanted to run away to get some peace and quiet. They just didn't get it. Sitting in the back of the car with them continuing to screech I lost my hearing in one ear. Never again I thought.

Just had a conversation with my daughter as we're going to the theatre tonight with same family. The two Mums in the front of the car and me in the back with the screeching kids. I refused to go, which led to a discussion with my daughter that it's difficult to take me anywhere. I spend 24/7 alone in my home, apart from a couple of hours or so when I go out. I'm so used to peace and quiet and just can't take the noise. She and her friend talk constantly from am to pm and I wonder what I'm doing there. They just don't get it.

In all fairness my daughter does take me out, which I appreciate. She doesn't like to know I'm all alone, but my head aches just remembering the noise. What is wrong with respect these days. I'm a person too

paddyann Fri 11-Aug-17 13:26:23

happydais you'll be a sold as you want to be,no disrespect meant by that but if you want to be included and enjoy family life you'll learn to play with/enjoy the chatter and even the screams sometimes that children make.Mine could talk for Scotland and win gold medals at it.Its hilarious what they come out with at times and I always say every days is a laugh a minute with them .My MIL who is in her 80's doesn't like being here when the 2 youngest are because they argue ..its like WW111 so she stays away and is better when they are seperated .Enjoy your grandchildren ,,its such a shame when GP dont spend time with their wee ones,tell them stories about your teens and how life was when you grew up.They find these stories fascinating

BlueBelle Fri 11-Aug-17 15:04:41

happydais I too have lived alone for 20 years five of my seven grandkids live overseas and I d give my eye teeth to sit in the back seat of the car and have fun with them I am incredibly lucky to live within a mile of two other grandkids and they have been equally noisy, squabbling, having fun, crying, being upset, loving and at times annoying and tiring they are now 14 and 16 so they are starting out on their own lives I had keys to my house made for both of them and told them to come anytime they want The elder one a extrovert boy of 16 pops in and out sometimes with friends to borrow towels for the beach or for the girls to use my hairdryer or just to have a drink and biscuit I m introduced to all his girlfriends as they come along and I have to wave to them all on snapchat ?I find it a huge honour it makes my day
Some people wouldn't like this informal way and I totally understand that not everyone has the same level of tolerance to noise, or unplanned visits but do be careful of the quietness you feel you need it can be VERY lonely
I m very aware that within a year or two my grandkids will be up and away and I ll miss them horribly but life is like that all or nothing
I m really sorry you had such an unconfortable holiday but we all have to make the best of what we get in life and some grans on here who are left out of their grandkids lives would swap with you in a heartbeat Anyway you now know it's not for you so decline next time and stay with your peace and quiet and as I said before accept 'daughter only' invites or short visits if the kids are there

wordy17 Fri 11-Aug-17 15:55:02

I do sympathise with you happydais, I too cannot stand loud noise and screeching. I think I might have some kind of hearing impairment, because it makes my brain jangle in a way that never happened when I was younger.

How about you offer to have one child for a day, and do baking, going for a walk, etc, and then have the other child on the next day, at your daughter's convenience. I have had some lovely times fruit picking, or looking around places with just one grandchild, and then doing the same or different with the other child.

It also means that you get to know each better, I think.
Best wishes

123kitty Fri 11-Aug-17 17:07:32

60+ years ago my granny was always grumbling about how noisy we, her grandchildren, were. Seems as tho' nothing changes.

HurdyGurdy Fri 11-Aug-17 17:20:59

BlueBelle - very similar here, when we moved into this house. My children were very young - 5, 3 and 1. I said to my new neighbour, "please let me know if the children are being too noisy".

She smiled at me and said "my dear, I lived through the Blitz. If the worst thing I have to hear before I die is the sound of children playing, I will die a happy woman".

Shizam Fri 11-Aug-17 21:04:35

Years ago remember an elderly woman moaning about my then baby son screaming his head off in a supermarket. Just said to her, sure you did the same when little. Swore I would never become a grumpy old woman like her. Hasn't happened so far. Still like pop music, festivals.
But if noise is a problem from kids, maybe headphones and some nice calming music or a downloaded play from radio 4.

mizzmelli Sun 13-Aug-17 04:03:59

I do think your daughter is being fantastic. Also you knew kids were going to be there, if you do not like noise (which ALL kids make) maybe stay at home n visit when kids are in school. And they must have been REALLY noisy to make you go deaf in one ear!!

Luckylegs9 Sun 13-Aug-17 07:38:34

Sorry, but I would love to have happy children round me, so lovely of your daughter including you. Surely you have enough peace and quiet the rest of the time. I live alone, but l would loved to have had the holiday you had, I would have been out there with them. if you don't like it, fake it and pretend you do, not for long, you don want to be thought of as miserable.

NotAGran55 Sun 13-Aug-17 08:02:16

I work in a residential school for young people with severe autism and complex needs . 80 % off them are non- verbal and I would give anything to hear them speak a single word , interact with each other , play in any way at all
It's truely heartbreaking .

Rejoice with a kind heart if your family members are healthy and noisy !

BlueBelle Sun 13-Aug-17 08:09:15

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Fflaurie Sun 13-Aug-17 10:03:21

Do you know, I was thinking about this subject this morning, although in a different vein. The family next door us have THE MOST noisy children in the world. There back garden is a playground. They have: Trampoline, Climbing Frame, 2 Goalposts, one each end of the garden; A basket ball hoop, cars they sit in and ride around in AND a bouncy castle with compressor. They scream at the tops of their voices all day and all evening. They go out to play sometimes before 8am, and can still be out there at 9 - 10pm. It drives us mad. Then the husband puts his music on inside the house, loud enough to hear outside the house and over the screams (especially the youngest who screams and screams). I am so sick of the noise. This is at weekends and weekdays (in the holidays) the same. I have begun to wish for rain! We cannot sit outside without earplugs! When mine was small, I would not let her or her friends out to play before 9am weekdays (10am Sunday) and they were in by 8pm the latest in the Summer. My words were, 'we don't want to annoy the neighbours, as I was aware that many of our neighbours worked in the week and their free time to sit in their gardens should be respected. I feel so angry that our time isn't respected. We are both up at 6am for work weekdays and weekends or evenings are our only time to relax. I do not want to fall out with the neighbours but I dread the nice weather now.

BlueBelle Sun 13-Aug-17 10:59:49

In case anyone wondered why I deleted my post it's nothing sinister I had found a nice Video on FB about kids and play but realised after I had poster that it had the names of the people who had posted it on and that didn't seem right so thought I d better get it deleted as we are not privy to do it for ourselves I ll see if I can find it on YouTube

Namsnanny Sun 13-Aug-17 18:17:41

Happydais,
Have you tried explaining being with so many people in one go is a bit isolating for you?
Because that is what I'm getting from your post.

Say you enjoy her company and you'd like to get to know the children a little better, but when they're engaged with one another its hard to talk to them.

The noise is distracting (I find that too, the screeching laughter or whatever simply jars the nerves!!).

Lets not forget depression is a factor in developing a sensitivity to noise.

Being grateful they are in your life is one thing, but appreciating their company is quite separate from finding the noise they sometimes make unbearable!!! ;)

Children nowadays are not used to having to sit there and be quiet, so its hard for them to find their off button by themselves!!

You do what YOU like, but if I were in your position I would have a quiet chat with my daughter and point out the noise affects you but you don't want the children to feel uncomfortable by this, so maybe its possible for you both to go on trips where there is only one child or just your daughter?

Ask her if she'd like to go to the cinema maybe......your treat, when the children are with friends/asleep/at school etc., and find a suitable movie (obviously not action!). Then you can discuss it next time you meet.

In fact its possible if you did this you could build up a better relationship with all of them as the time spent together would be more fulfilling.

Just my opinion, take it or leave it as you please!! wink