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my neighbour is an old lady she lives 4 doors away from us i am a childminder
aparent came in tonight to pick their child up and told me that my neighbour is talking to everybody about the noise from my garden (children running, bouncing balls, laughing etc) and said its outrages the noise of the children running up and down the decking etc. she also asked the parent how much i charged and said i was a daylight robber and things will be put in place to stop me
feel cross and dh is in america working so fuming on my own
She's old and obviously needs something to moan about, you could try the overly nice approach which will mean she has to be nice back... When do people think children should play, perhaps you should record them and play it at night
dont like taking to her (she has a hole in the throat that she covers to talk) as she always has something to moan about. she came round last week to ask if it was recycling day the following day. she lives with her son so cant be that lonely and she goes to church across the road
She's had her childhood playing happily in traffic free streets and she's got the nerve to complain about your kids playing in their own garden. Purleeeese.
Theres nothing you can do - it's a free country and she can say what she wants to who she wants.
The parents will judge you on your own actions and merits and if your a good decent friendly polite childminder they'll soon learn to ignore the crazy old woman up the road.
Ultimately, we all make up our own minds about people. Tell the parents she's got alzeimers he he.
i wouldn't do anything with her. maybe say to the parents that you've heard (via another parent) that a neighbour is complaining about the noise the children are making. but you are not going to change them playing outside if that's what they want to do.
and if they've got any concerns then to speak to you.
you could always give your neighbour the ofsted or care commission (depending where you are) phone number if she wants to make a complaint....
The parent who passed on crazy old dear's comments is a bit of a stirrer and I would take the information with a large pinch of salt.
If she hasn't said anything to you personally, why should you worry? The helpful parent who repeated this private conversation probably just wanted you to hear the "daylight robbery" bit.
The fact that she lives with her son and goes to church doesn't mean she doesn't need friendship with her neighbours. Perhaps she's just a bit cross that you don't talk to her. Old people can be difficult, but I feel sorry for them. Who'd be old? On the other hand, the alternative's probably worse.
i hate people like that sticking there nose in other people buisness,i would tell her to get a life kids are kids and they do make noise would she rather they be in house all day ?
Wow, I do hope you're all raising your offspring to be as caring and empathic as yourselves!
We do not know how many children, of what ages, are playing outdoors, nor for how many hours a day. We do not know if there is any kind of baffling (eg full wooden fences, high shrubbery or hedges) between the four gardens. We do not know if the childrens'laughter is caused by musical games featuring loud rap music (or even nursery rhymes).
We do not know how many of the children spend a portion of the day in floods of tears or having a tantrum, or what that portion may be.
We can assume that the OP is running a business in a residential area.
Is this crazy old bitch not entitled to enjoy a little peace and quiet in her own garden while the sun shines?
She may have sensitivity to noise,constant headaches, wear a hearing aid which picks up the childrens noise instead of countdown and just feel really tired in the afternoon and want a sleep. I think you should show some neighbourly charm and pop around and discuss the issue with her like a grown up.
I actually like the sound of children playing but not everyone does. I think a lot of people are being unkind about an old lady that they don't know. I agree with Poohbah, go round and talk to her or invite her round for a cup of tea.A little charm goes a long way.
nowshe would be well in her rights to complain if he was like my neighbours son last year and was playing extremeley loudly on her stereo songs with the chorus "suck my mother f** dick" and similar things i had ds playing in the garden (he was 3) his mother came out looked at me disaporvingly and said "should he be listening to that shouldn;t he be inside" err no it's one on a sunday
If it were just family noise, I'd say she was being a bit grumpy, but why should she have noise all day as the result of the neighbour running a business!!
I would go round and ask her very nicely if she has a problem with you? Tell her what you have been told and ask her to explain herself. Nasty old people were nasty young people too and age is no excuse (unless they have dementia in which case that is different as it is a medical condition)
I think the mentioning of decking in the op is important. Decking isn't great for peace and quiet, in fact just footsteps sound really loud on this. We don't know how many children are cared for in the house, and I know of instances where neighbours strongly objected to people opening nurserys in residential areas because of the inproportionate level of noise for just an ordinary family home.
But we do have some idea of how many children are cared for in the house. The OP is a childminder, which means that the number of children she is allowed to take is strictly limited, no more than a reasonably sized natural family.
The fact that she gets paid makes no difference to the amount of noise made.
All this talk of running a business and comparing it to nurseries seems to ignore the fact that CMs are not allowed to run residential homes: numbers are very carefully regulated.
Naturally, some of the children will spend some of the day in tears or having tantrums- but how is that different from ordinary families? My children also cried and had tantrums when they were little; should we not have been allowed to live near old ladies?
i have you know we have no tears in my house no really they are very good.
i go out each day to toddler groups parks etc with my 2 little ones then they sleep in the afternoon and go home at 3ish, i then pick up after school children (about 6 of them inc mine) 4 leave by 4.10pm then its my 2 and another child but most likely if they are not out they are on the p.c so dont know why is is moaning.
Can I just point out that a registered childminder is limited as to the number of children UNDER the age of 8 and he/she can do an after school session with numerous kids over the age of 8.
My gran lives next to a childminder who has an assistant so has 6 children in the day and another 8 children in the morning and at night, so the amount of noise that is generated from the garden is substantial.
Obviously dmo has a lot, lot, less but as far as I know "domestic noise" from talking/laughing/shouting/ is not something enviromental health can do anything about, however I am not sure about "business" noise as essentially this is noise from a business.
Definitely make your first stop the old lady neighbour and be nice: say you've heard that the noise bothers her and you will (perhaps) not play music in the garden any longer or something. If you treat people as though they are the enemy they will act like it, if you go in all nice and reasonable it's harder for a person to be an arse with you. Of course if she does turn out to be a grim old troublemaking bat then at least you Know and at least you tried and can then go and buy a lot of toy drums for your charges....
She cant do anything legally - obviously nosy old bag jealous you have things happening in your life. The only conversation she has had that day was with those parents probably. We had a neighbour like that - well - she is still here - but everyone knows what she is like though - try not to take it too much to heart... even our old bag found someone new to focus her attention on eventually... unfortunately her trump card is that she is old, and therefore can manipulate this to her advantage and look the victim. As a parent as long as my childminder did a good job I wouldnt give a stuff what some random neighbour said who lived near the childminders house... I'd be too busy at pick up time stealing my attention for the full day of housework and childcare awaiting me at my own home
Business noise it may be, Fizzy- but how is it different from the noise made by a large family? The OP herself has explained that she only has 6 children at any one time. I know families who have 10 children all of their own production. Are you saying this is no longer allowed?
Best wishes from me too DMO. I am a childminder too ,I think I would speak to her even if to acknowledge that you know that she has spoken to the parent.
I would also say to the parent that you are dealing with the issue.How did the parent pass this information on? Was it done in a friendly way or berating way?
Children are allowed to make noise.You need good relationships around you too. If you can, be at peace with your neighbours.
parent said it in a laughing way dont think she took notice
she came into toddler group today (at church opp our house) to ask whos car was parked in front of her house and could they move it (she doesnt have a car and its terraced houses so no drives etc)
was going to talk to ther then but i was busy working and couldnt be fagged
