In being fed up with teenagers STILL playing football outside at 9pm

[Codandchops]

FFS! DS is autistic and struggles with noise. In addition this is a residential area with young children who are in bed (one hopes) at this hour.
Honestly I would have more consideration than to allow a teenage child of mine to do this when I knew other families had young children.

This is nightly now - not to mention the number of times the ball hits my front door or kitchen window.


Grr! Am gonna ring the HA on Tursday.

Or am I being unreasonable - after all it IS half term?

[CrystalMaize]

Bladdy teenagers! Have you asked them to stop, or take it elsewhere?

[lalaland3008]

Hmm, not too sure. At least they're not getting into trouble.

Aside from the fact that your ds is autistic I think most children should be able to sleep through the noise of kids playing football (runs off to hide now).

[Sparklingbunnyears]

YANBU. I have 2 DSs of 10 and 12. They got told to keep the noise down playing with their FOAM football at 4.30pm by the miserable sod down the road.

He was BU but it is not on to be out there at 9pm and for the ball to be hitting your front door and window.

Are you brave enough to speak to them, or will you get a mouthful?

[mistressploppy]

YANBU. That would piss me off too

[Tranquilidade]

I had a relative who lived in an end terrace house where teenagers banged the football against the end wall. She was prone to drama and described the noise in their living room as being like the Battle of the Somme on summer evenings [bugrin]

[Gumby]

My friend had this problem
She bought a house that backed on to a massive open green space
Of course teenagers & football was rife especially in the summer months
She moved

[WorraLiberty]

YANBU

But before you contact the HA, have you tried politely speaking to them?

Not all teenagers are unapproachable and they might be very understanding.

[FredFredGeorge]

I think it depends on where they are playing - if it's in a park that happens to be adjacent to your house then YABU. If it's essentially in the road outside your house then YANBU, assuming you've asked them if they could take it somewhere else.

There's nothing inherently wrong with playing football and 9pm, and it could be that they genuinely don't know there are any kids there who'd be struggling to sleep with their noise.

[DoomCatsofCognitiveDissonance]

Yes, speak to them.

But, surely one of the things about living in a residential area with children is that, well, there will be children and children's noise around?

They should not be hitting your windows (!) or house, but I think given we're getting towards summer you need to prepare yourself for teenagers to be playing out at 9pm - in a couple of months it will still be light then! Do you really think they shouldn't be playing out?

[2ombie5layer]

YAsooooNBU. I have just moved away from activities like you describe except the kids that would be playing outside right now were younger than teenagers. I wouldnt dare speak to them myself, but I have phoned 101 a couple of times, but these times they were throwing snowballs and ice at my house deliberately.

[girlywhirly]

Could you canvas opinion in your road, and put a group complaint out to the footballers, I wouldn't want to do this alone but if a group of residents approached them to ask them to stop it might carry a bit more weight. I don't know if you have any community police who might come and talk to them about the football being a public nuisance, especially in the light of your child being upset and your doors/windows repeatedly being hit.

I don't think YABU.

[harassedandherbug]

Why don't you go and ask them to go elsewhere, and explain why? They won't bite.

[DialsMavis]

YABUish. Teenagers can't do wrong for doing right now. People complain if they stay in playing x box, or just hang about aimlessly. If they were rude when you spoke to them, then fair enough to be pissed off. I assume you have spoken to them politely before grassing them up? Is there a park nearby they could go to? if so, then they should be there really I suppose.

[GnomeDePlume]

Hmmm....

YANBU to be annoyed
YABU to expect other people to know that your DS is sensitive to noise

Not everybody is aware of the age ranges in other people's houses (I know I'm not). Also doesnt help that my DCs have never been early bedtime people.

Would it be possible to identify a couple of the households which are providing players and go round during the day tomorrow and explain the problem?

IME most teenagers want to keep a high opinion of themselves and given the opportunity to sort the problem will gladly do so. Suggest that say 9.30 might be a fair curfew and also ask if they can avoid kick the ball in your direction of your house then that would be much appreciated.

Keep it light and without accusation and you may be surprised at the results.

Of course if it doesnt work then contact the HA.

[WorraLiberty]

Could you canvas opinion in your road, and put a group complaint out to the footballers, I wouldn't want to do this alone but if a group of residents approached them to ask them to stop it might carry a bit more weight. I don't know if you have any community police who might come and talk to them about the football being a public nuisance, especially in the light of your child being upset and your doors/windows repeatedly being hit

Or she could just go out and say "Hi, you alright? Sorry to be a pain but would you mind playing down the road a bit? It's just that the noise is keeping the kids awake and my window's been hit a few times...thanks"

I think anyone would be very unreasonable to start getting neighbours and community police involved, without at least giving the teenagers the courtesy of letting them know they're disturbing her.

[GnomeDePlume]

exactly everlong

Be friendly, I remember seeing some while back that teenages arent good at processing other people's emotions and that fearful and angry get mixed up.

Keep it light

[DashingRedhead]

Agree with WorraLiberty

[harbingerofdoom]

The footy sounds out of order but on our road all the teenagers got on and played together. We suddenly had 10+ teenagers that would hang out in the road and lived on it. Any trouble:woe betide them. Not so much of the football but skates,bikes,boards and noisy laughter!
If any neighbour had a problem she would tell them directly and they would move or go in.
PS those without teenagers can do DIY in the morning and annoy everybody!

[AThingInYourLife]

Agree with Worra

[SydSaid]

I Think YABU. It's the weekend and its only 9pm and they are playing football, not getting drunk or shooting up or hanging around looking bored.

They aren't doing anything wrong in any way. They aren't to know about your child's noise issues. Im sure the noise isn't a problem for most young kids getting to sleep.

I always loved to see the kids out playing in the estate I used to live in. The noise was never a problem - they would play football, frisbee, rounders and various other games. All very friendly and gave a real community feel. Made me think that would be my kids when they were old enough and that made me smile.

[SydSaid]

What worra said! That's really all I needed to say!

[Sparklingbunnyears]

Hitting windows and doors with the football is wrong Syd.