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AIBU?

To want children to stop playing ball games outside....

28 replies

sugarlost · 22/01/2017 13:06

The sound of the ball bouncing causes anxiety...they kick the ball on the building, fence, window. Anyone else experiencing the same problem I've tried to resolve the issue but no joy.
There's a park not far away....
I guess sometimes we have to accept...I just want to live in peace.I know their children but that damn ball!
They could be out early or very late....

OP posts:

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Ollycat · 22/01/2017 13:09

Is it your building/ window / fence? If so then I would say of course you anbu to ask them to stop but otherwise yes you probably abu.

Surely better them being outside then inside on a screen? Why does the sound of the ball make you anxious?

LucklessMonster · 22/01/2017 13:15

YANBU

It's the repetitive thump, thump, thump that causes the anxiety.

Ollycat has already provided the predictable false dichotomy. The options are not to kick a ball outside your house or play on a screen.

sugarlost · 22/01/2017 13:16

Yes I'm in the building Olly. I think because it has been going on so long that the constant thumping sound on the floor and fence has got to me....

OP posts:

DJBaggySmalls · 22/01/2017 13:17

When you are wondering if the next ball is going to break the window, every ball sound makes you anxious. Been there, done that.
If they are kicking it against your house they are being nuisance neighbours and anti social. you can complain to their landlord, and the local community police.

Ollycat · 22/01/2017 13:19

LucklessMonster I didn't actually say that! Nowhere did I say these were the options?!? I did say it was better to be outside then on a screen, which it is.

sugarlost · 22/01/2017 13:20

It's definitely the thumping Luckless...the metal fence is awful..it vibrates through the building when they kick the ball there!

OP posts:

Ollycat · 22/01/2017 13:20

sugarlost is it an apartment building? If so do you have a residents association type of thing to bring it up at?

LucklessMonster · 22/01/2017 13:22

It's definitely the thumping Luckless...the metal fence is awful..it vibrates through the building when they kick the ball there!

I've suffered through it too. Talk to your PCSO or equivalent; ours was very helpful. Unfortunately the family we dealt with were the kind you'd see on Jeremy Kyle so the actual police had to get involved, but they put a stop to it very nicely.

sugarlost · 22/01/2017 13:34

Olly we don't have a residents association but the landlord advised they will speak to the families. It's been a battle to achieve this so far only standard letters sent to residents about the noise levels. I'm weary of contacting the community Police D&J & Luckless as I don't want it to escalate with the families but I will give it some serious consideration.
It's really impacted me in a negative way.
Thanks for your feedback

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user1484317265 · 22/01/2017 14:05

The options are not to kick a ball outside your house or play on a screen

It could well be. Those are the 2 options most of the boys I know choose from!

Kids play with balls in the road. They have done this since balls and roads were invented. There is no law against it, there is no way to stop them. If the real problem is the sound of the ball on the metal fence, why not work on getting the fence changed rather than trying to stop kids doing what kids do?

sugarlost · 22/01/2017 14:14

User I already requested the fence be changed. I was advised it would be to expensive to change.

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user1484317265 · 22/01/2017 14:18

But that is something can be changed, and they choose not to. Kids playing can't be changed.
So push harder on the bit that can be affected.

LucklessMonster · 22/01/2017 14:41

There is no law against it, there is no way to stop them.

Yes there is. The police stopped our neighbour's kids doing it as it was anti-social.

Some parents might not have the imagination to give options beyond 'play Xbox' or 'kick a ball against a fence' but thankfully, most do.

sugarlost · 22/01/2017 14:59

I may revisit the fence request....what held me back is if they could find a suitable noise reducing replacement if it was possible to change it.
I will wait until the landlord speaks to the parents to see if there is an improvement...if no improvement I will take action.

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user1484317265 · 22/01/2017 15:05

Yes there is. The police stopped our neighbour's kids doing it as it was anti-social

I think you mean the police asked the parents to stop them. Which they did, although they didn't have to.They couldn't make them, there is no way to force them to do it. Anti-social? Kids playing together outside is very social

Like I said, no law against playing ball. And it has nothing at all to do with the parents imagination. Some of us want our children to be outside, playing with their friends. It's you who lacks imagination if you can't see the many benefits of that.

FelineJustFine · 22/01/2017 15:11

yes have the very same prob, there is a huge green area , a football space and a playground within ten feet of my apartment balcony, yet they chose to kick the ball at it all hours of the day.There are people in my apartment block who work nights, have small babies and the non stop noise and screaming of up to 10 kids at a time is awful. I've tried reasoning nicely etc but no joy. It's anti social behaviour (there is a sign saying no ball games) your best bet is to go to your local community police, they sometimes hold clinics in the area, make a log of when it goes on and call them, they will come around. Good luck I know what mare it can be.

Twinkletowedelephant · 22/01/2017 15:13

My mum raged about this for years... Eventually the council put in hedges and trees alongside her property to stop the constant thump thump thump.

Could you plant there?

FaFoutis · 22/01/2017 15:28

YANBU (and what a lot of crap about boys).

user1484317265 · 22/01/2017 15:30

What lot of crap about boys? Are you dismissing the experience of other posters? Pretty rude.

SpringerS · 22/01/2017 15:33

It can be a super annoying sound and I sympathise. But ultimately they are just kids playing.

NavyandWhite · 22/01/2017 15:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Wolfiefan · 22/01/2017 15:39

Um kids don't play in the road here.
Kids play. Well yes.
But they don't have to do so in a way that causes upset and distress to neighbours. No screaming, swearing or door knocking and running away. And they don't need to incessantly kick a ball against a fence. They just don't.

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FaFoutis · 22/01/2017 15:40

Rude to boys.

CripsSandwiches · 22/01/2017 17:06

User you're being deliberately obtuse. Of course kids playing outside isn't antisocial it's the way they're doing it that's antisocial. They could play in the nearby park without kicking a ball against neighbours windows, fences and walls.

user1484317265 · 22/01/2017 17:12

Rude to boys

Are you charged per word? Mentioning the play habits of the boys one happens to know is not rude to boys. Bizarre notion.

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