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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think it’s not normal to be this angry?

56 replies

Puzzlepirate · 22/11/2025 09:44

I’m a terraced house and my neighbors one side are constantly screaming/shouting/swearing at their kids and each other. I understand everyone argues and loses their rag sometimes but surely it’s not normal to be this angry ALL the time? They started at 7am this morning, I have to turn the tv up to drown them out. I feel so sorry for the kids, they think growing up in a house like that is normal 😭 AIBU or is that just the norm nowadays?!

OP posts:
ConstitutionHill · 23/11/2025 13:17

Are they British? My neighbours are Spanish and are shouting non-stop, it's just the way they are. Luckily I can only understand about 20% of what they are shouting. No swearing though.

SummerFeverVenice · 23/11/2025 13:14

SloppySocks · 23/11/2025 10:36

You won’t hear everything from your side of the wall. The parents might be struggling with very difficult behaviour from the children, especially if ND. It can be a lot to deal with and parents are only human. They of course might also be abusive and/or useless.

So ND kids deserve to be abused because they’re “difficult” 🙄

SummerFeverVenice · 23/11/2025 13:12

Puzzlepirate · 22/11/2025 09:57

Really interested to hear the point of view from the person that voted in unreasonable, do you think this level of daily anger is normal?

I’m voting unreasonable because you’re just turning up the TV to better ignore the screams.

That is what the neighbours of Sara Sharif did.

You should be calling the police.

BertieBotts · 23/11/2025 13:04

I don't think it's a "these days" thing - it sounds very dysfunctional. Some people do communicate like this all day every day, and sadly that has always been the case in every generation. As you can see from posters here saying that was their home when they were growing up. The fact you haven't experienced it before just points to it being unusual rather than it being new.

People who shout and scream and swear to this extent possibly learnt it from their own parents and see nothing wrong with it, or feel it is normal so they don't try to address it. Or they know it is unhealthy but don't know how to address it. They could be at absolute breaking point with no way to access support. Or they may have other priorities e.g. alcoholism of which the aggression is perhaps a symptom. It could be multiple things, the only thing you can really do is make any concerns known to the relevant authorities, and hope that the authorities are supportive and/or make the right judgement about when to intervene, whichever is appropriate.

BauhausOfEliott · 23/11/2025 12:52

SloppySocks · 23/11/2025 10:36

You won’t hear everything from your side of the wall. The parents might be struggling with very difficult behaviour from the children, especially if ND. It can be a lot to deal with and parents are only human. They of course might also be abusive and/or useless.

That would account for occasional shouting. It wouldn’t account for shouting, screaming and swearing all day, every day.

HeyThereDelila · 23/11/2025 12:49

It’s awful; I’d be worried it was abusive. I think you should do an anonymous tip off to the NSPCC - they can refer to local social services.

Owly11 · 23/11/2025 12:34

Of course it's not normal. Some families are like this and some are like something else. There is no such thing as a normal family. You are just unlucky enough to live next door to an awful loud family.

MrsSkylerWhite · 23/11/2025 12:32

Screamingabdabz · 22/11/2025 10:09

Only normal for selfish moronic arseholes who are bad parents.

This.
Raise your concerns with SS.

Jan24680 · 23/11/2025 12:30

My parents old neighbours were like this. The kids were home schooled too, so they literally had no respite ever. Not sure why I didn't report them now I have a kid of my own.

Jollyjoy · 23/11/2025 10:37

Puzzlepirate · 22/11/2025 10:28

Yes. They said they already had a social worker, I’m assuming social worker gave them a call and neighbors assumed it’s me and next thing I know they’ve called my landlord to report me for various absurd untrue things as revenge (I’m assuming!) not sure what the social worker did but it’s put me off calling again. I didn’t do it out of malice, I genuinley worry for the children, I’ve heard all kinds of things being said to them :(

While I really get this, you are in a horrible position, but we are talking about the welfare of tiny defenceless kids. In all the major child deaths the inquiries showed opportunities for people to intervene who didn’t. You know this isn’t normal and at the very least indicates a family under extreme stress. Write down specific things you hear, dates and times.

Could you contact your landlord in advance, explain the situation and say that you are about to make a report so you can expect there may be some malicious counter allegations?

SloppySocks · 23/11/2025 10:36

You won’t hear everything from your side of the wall. The parents might be struggling with very difficult behaviour from the children, especially if ND. It can be a lot to deal with and parents are only human. They of course might also be abusive and/or useless.

theunbreakablecleopatrajones · 23/11/2025 10:34

That sounds awful.

I would consider reporting it to the kids' school safeguarding service, because it really is a terrible environment for them - it might be a little obvious it's you mind you, depending on how many houses are close by, but.. it's more important to try and do something about it.

ResusciAnnie · 23/11/2025 10:34

Poor kids

Emmz1510 · 23/11/2025 10:33

Rather than calling social services- not saying you shouldn’t, just that it always has consequences for the caller- it might be worth having a quiet word with the local school/nursery (if you can ascertain where they go, perhaps from uniform) or even the health visiting team from your local GP to keep a closer eye on the family. They maintain close links with social services and won’t hesitate to contact them if they are sufficiently worried (I’m a social worker).
If things are particularly heightened then I’m afraid calling the Police is probably necessary.

Stillpoor · 23/11/2025 10:32

My mother was like your neighbours sorry no she was worse.
Wished someone would have reported her ,or someone placed me in care.
Anything would have been better than to live like I did.

latetothefisting · 22/11/2025 11:09

Puzzlepirate · 22/11/2025 09:57

Really interested to hear the point of view from the person that voted in unreasonable, do you think this level of daily anger is normal?

presumably they are answering literally in that, factually, it is normal for some people, not that they think it should be normal or is healthy.

My old neighbours were very much the same - it really was a complete shock to the system to hear them all screaming and swearing at each other (including the young children) multiple times a day.

ToeJob · 22/11/2025 10:37

My old neighbours used to have screaming matches all day long. I eventually called the police because I saw their elder son, who could have been more than 8 or 9, take his little brother out into the front garden and point out all the cars going past to distract him. I’m all for not interfering, but when a child that young knows it’s time to get out of the house, they’re not safe and it’s time to do something.

Puzzlepirate · 22/11/2025 10:28

TimeForTeaAndG · 22/11/2025 10:09

Normal for abusive angry people. Have you called social services to raise a concern?

Yes. They said they already had a social worker, I’m assuming social worker gave them a call and neighbors assumed it’s me and next thing I know they’ve called my landlord to report me for various absurd untrue things as revenge (I’m assuming!) not sure what the social worker did but it’s put me off calling again. I didn’t do it out of malice, I genuinley worry for the children, I’ve heard all kinds of things being said to them :(

OP posts:
butterycroissants · 22/11/2025 10:17

Puzzlepirate · 22/11/2025 09:57

Really interested to hear the point of view from the person that voted in unreasonable, do you think this level of daily anger is normal?

When people say normal they just mean it's common - not that it's okay.

Screamingabdabz · 22/11/2025 10:09

Only normal for selfish moronic arseholes who are bad parents.

TimeForTeaAndG · 22/11/2025 10:09

Normal for abusive angry people. Have you called social services to raise a concern?

Ahwig · 22/11/2025 10:07

We used to have neighbors like that. We dont shout in our house as a rule so to have it constantly going on in your house I thought must be incredibly stressful however I soon realised that was just their way of communicating. She would shout and swear loudly at him then come night time they would have the nosiest sex omg. She would swear at the kids and they would swear back. ( they were teenagers) . Next minute you would hear her saying to the kids” do you want a cup of tea babe?” Because they all shouted all the time, no one listened to anyone else.

JudgeBread · 22/11/2025 10:07

Our old neighbours were like that. My office adjoined to their daughter's bedroom, she must've only been about ten and it used to destroy me hearing her crying every night through the walls while her parents screamed at eachother.

butterycroissants · 22/11/2025 10:05

I think it is normal in some families - we have neighbours who are similar.

Doesn't mean it's okay, of course.

ChikinLikin · 22/11/2025 10:02

That's terrible. Poor children.