Noisy children.

I haven't got any children on my road at the moment, but my own grandchildren are VERY loud. Their mother encourages it (she is loud too), and they shout all the time - they don't speak in a normal volume, they shout. They're 9 and 5 (girls) and the noise is pretty bad.

Obviously, I adore them, but we're not used to the noise, and I think perhaps that's the problem - we aren't used to it.

The children have all been off school for a long time, they can't o on the swings and slides, etc., no swimming and such. They need to use up their energy somehow. Unless the noise is very early or late in the day, there's not a lot you can do, I don't think.

I never want to do anything, they are children after all, just wondering if it is normal now.
The 5 year old boy is now running round crowing like a cockerel!!
Perhaps too many e- numbers.

I appreciate the noise can really get on your nerves - my own 2 GDs are the loudest children I've ever known. I had to smile about you saying the boy crows like a cockerel - our 5 year old likes to make a turkey noise! There aren't e numbers in foods now, but I know what you mean.

I don't generally mind hearing children making a noise if they are playing. What I can't stand are "screamers", usually girls, who spend the whole time shrieking as if they are in severe pain or danger. I always told my own two daughters not to scream when they were in the garden, and likewise now my two grandchildren. How parents just sit there and listen to it without stopping it I don't know. It sets my teeth on edge!

Children don't have to shout and scream to use up energy; that is what physical exercise is for.

That said, if you come upon a a primary school playground unexpectedly, it sounds as though mass murder is being committed.

I certainly wouldn’t dismiss you as being grumpy annsixty !

I think it’s incredibly selfish of parents to allow their children to make so much noise.

Are they completely unaware of how irritating it must be for neighbours trying to enjoy their gardens in peace and quiet?

Yes children can get excited and make some noise when they are playing outside but there has to be a limit.

I wasn’t allowed to scream and shout as a child and I made sure mine all kept the noise down, being aware of how irritating it would be for the neighbours.

This is another very valid reason for reopening schools pronto isn’t it?!

Next door to me they have one child who is very quiet until his friends come around and then they just seem to scream whilst running around the garden, I have no idea what they are playing but the high pitched scream is unbearable.

I would never complain about children playing,with weather and school it is not often and they need to be outside.

eazybee "Children don't have to shout and scream to use up energy; that is what physical exercise is for."

The whole point is that children aren't getting as much exercise - not at school, so no P.E. or playtime. Swings, slides, etc., out of bounds. Play centres, lidos, swimming pools all shut. Apart from running about in a garden (not all children have access to one) and going to a country park (weather permitting), thay have to let off steam somehow.

annsixty, with lockdown, there's far greater potential for neighbours to really get on each other's nerves.

Here, it's the daily visitors (grown up grandchildren and great grandchildren, next door but one) that are the noise problem. It's been going on since March and I've had to retreat indoors at times. I was actually relieved when it was drizzling and they were indoors. I could go and happily potter around my garden without all the shouting, screaming and swearing - brilliant!

In fact, it's not the toddler twins (loud as they are) who are most aggravating, but their mother. She repeatedly shouts out their names (like a record stuck in a groove) for some reason, so it goes like this:

'Lee, Lee, Lee, Lee, Lee, Lee, Lee!'

(then)

'Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt'

and so on (names changed, just in case). That doesn't work to train a dog, let alone communicate with a child - it becomes a background noise to be ignored (I do so wish I could ignore it too).

I don’t think you’re being grumpy Anne, families are spending so much more time at home these days and inevitably that means we all hear more of them! One of my neighbours has had her daughter + her baby and dog living with her through lockdown. The baby seems to be the high maintenance variety and the dog barks a lot. And of course I’m at home more to hear it all! I’ve seen the poor beleaguered granny walking the streets with the pair of them, trying to give her daughter a break I guess!

They're children. They're playing. They make a noise. It's what children do.

Better get your ear plugs ready for this week; with the weather forecast being for virtual wall to wall sunshine, the paddling pools will be out and the shrieking and screaming will be dawn to dusk.

Oh I love to hear children playing! Their noise really doesn't bother me at all, but I do agree that girls who constantly scream can be rather annoying. They're not children long, before you know it they'll be doing their A levels and having parties when their parents are away! They are young, be grateful for small mercies!

I think children are generally noisier these days.
We even perfected the art of the silent scream when we were fighting as youngsters, and I used to tell my daughter to pipe down if she was getting loud.

My grandson is very, very noisy. I remember friends boys being loud and thinking they should control them better! My family has had all girls up to the birth of my grandson. That is not to say those girls were better than boys, but they were different. 3 nieces and my daughter. All much, much quieter.

Grandson roars. He shouts. He bangs. He races around. Loves loves loves being thrown around. Roughed up. Very noisy and physical play. It's just how he is. The noise DOES get on my nerves but I adore him so tolerate it.

Oh the sound of children... I had 5 , but never let them scream or shout in the garden.. obviously they got exited and rough okay got a little noisy.. swimming pools were the worst.. then the arguing.. but they were told to come inside and calm down” my words were” nobody wants to hear all this noise.... now I’m in between 3 houses with incredibly boisterous children(!) and sometimes just want to scream myself!!! ( imagine that!!) it’s the “ Mum...Mum.....mum...muuuuuuum .. that gets me... answer the blooming child please mother.... or go inside please sweetheart and find said mother.... ? bless the little darlings.

Yes you are being unreasonable.

A friend of ours posted the other day that she thought everyone should be made to cut grass, trim hedges etc at the very same time as the constant noise was getting to her. I think lockdown is affecting all of us in different ways. We used to have lots of wee girls in our street and it seemed like every game they played involved endless screaming- very weird, but they’re all grown up now, one is a doctor, one is a teacher and one is a policewoman, so they all turned out just fine!

A new family moved in next door but one last year & they have 3 children.
It is such a joy to hear them playing in the garden. I love it.
What better noise than children having fun.
Our 2 were never a problem as we had an acre of land. I think the cows next to us got spooked a bit but neighbours never complained.

I never asked if I was being unreasonable.
I just asked the question, are today’s children noisier than previous generations?

In my second post I said they are just children and I would never do anything about it.

And I thought it was me being a crotchety old woman! I'm surrounded by them - upstairs, either side of the garden - and none of them seem to have volume control!

(This is why I'm moving to a flat complex for the over-60s!)

There used to be notices up at our swimming pool saying ‘ No Screaming’, alongside other instructions.

It was so the lifeguards could hear if anyone was in trouble and shouting for help.

And yes, I realise pools are closed at the moment unfortunately.

I think you’re expecting way to much annesixty kids have been denied so much these last few months and I m delighted at the fact they can let of steam and what better than having a garden to run round being whatever they want to be 9.30 isn’t early
I have had 8 live next door to me, some nos grown and flown nand we re down to about 5 teens with music and some noise the back alley with the football coming over my fence has gone nowM but there are some little ones moved in two doors up and they are in the garden every day with lots of Screaming and shouting I think they have a paddling pool and trampoline
I think it’s great to know they are happy and fit and well, small price to pay for me

I always remember my 90 year old neighbour when my kids were young teens and I said to her do let me know if they get too noisy she answered ‘ my darling I love to hear them it tells me I m still alive ‘

I've worked in schools for 40 years and yes, children are noisy now. They are also rude and interrupt conversations. I think it's bad manners but sadly they haven't been taught not to do it.