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Original poster

AIBU to dread children playing football loudly outside into the evening?

40 replies

LMSLMS · 05/04/2026 19:30

I know I'll get flamed for being miserable but it can't just be me... Already dreading the lighter evenings as some parents near me think it's totally fine for their kids to be booting footballs up and down the street soon as they're in from school until 9:30pm or when it's dark. It's literally right outside my front door and window (not their own houses) and just the worst when you want to relax and enjoy your evening, the noise is so loud 🙃 would anyone else feel the same as me? Before anyone says anything I've got a 5 and 1 year old, I just think I wouldn't let them do this once past a certain time in the evening on a main road 🫠 I can't talk to them either as they're the type of people who would just argue back that it's kids being kids and whilst I agree it's good they're not stuck on screens, it shouldn't be disturbing others so much 🥺

OP posts:
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TheHouse · 06/04/2026 09:10

@beAsensible1

I did think that, but I run on it. It’s just when the ball hits my car very hard for the umpteenth time. One summer my window screen got cracked which was annoying.

CornishPorsche · 06/04/2026 08:50

I've already had to ask the neighbour's feral son to play football further up the grass because he thought it was funny to kick the ball repeatedly at my window on the first day of dry weather in weeks.

The child has zero parenting - mum just limply says "please don't hit your brother" when he's battering the shit out of his little brother or "come back darling" to the younger one as he legs it off out of the street. She's just one of those people who has no presence and sadly her sons run rings around her to the cost of the neighbourhood..... I love summer.

beAsensible1 · 06/04/2026 08:39

TheHouse · 05/04/2026 21:10

It is odd when there’s a huge green/field but yet they choose to play in the road, hitting cars and car windows etc.

I personally wouldn’t allow my kids to be that annoying, or stupid tbh. Mine played on the green or fields if they were playing football.

It might be that it’s full of dog poo or it’s too out of sight for their parents.

none of the kids can use the green field near us anymore as it’s plastered in dog poo.

thetinsoldier · 06/04/2026 08:29

If parents parented their kids and considered the people that their kids are disturbing, that would be much better.

thetinsoldier · 06/04/2026 08:28

Any excessive noise can be antisocial, and the thud of a football being kicked is especially bad.

I’d tell them to move and play outside their own house, or to play in the nearest park.

southcoastsammy · 06/04/2026 08:28

If they’re hitting your windows - speak to the parents. Or you could do it the old fashioned way - not give their ball back…

Mirrorxxx · 06/04/2026 08:19

I wouldn’t mind if they knew how to play without screaming.

RaininSummer · 06/04/2026 07:58

I'm with you OP. It's so stressful hearing balls thumping all around and also wondering if they are going to damaged your car, break a house window or smash up your plants. No issues with kids in general but the football playing should be in the park.

2026Y · 06/04/2026 07:54

My mum used to live on a new build housing estate and she couldn’t stand the noise of kids all around. They weren’t doing anything wrong but she wanted more peace so she moved to the countryside. Unfortunately I think kids noise is part of living in a built up area. I can understand it’s annoying for you though.

ExitPursuedByABare · 06/04/2026 07:52

I can understand it’s annoying but it’s nice to hear kids playing out. We had a neighbour whose son used to practice his basketball shooting nearly every night in the summer. A repeated thud against their garage wall. Annoying but harmless.

Original poster
LMSLMS · 06/04/2026 07:46

SouthernNights59 · 05/04/2026 22:10

I feel the same - and I don't even have kids!

Show quote history

This isn't the sound of playing and laughing/fun, it's a repeated loud thud of a ball, sometimes into our windows and doors

OP posts:
SouthernNights59 · 05/04/2026 22:10

AnSpideog · 05/04/2026 20:38

This never annoyed me in the least. Even before kids. Now I feel extra passionate about kids playing outside. I think it makes an area feel safe and family friendly. The noise isn’t annoying to me.

I feel the same - and I don't even have kids!

StrangerTwings · 05/04/2026 21:28

Kids playing football doesn't bother me, my own did it often enough. My next door footballers bother me though since they removed every bit of greenery and flagged the whole garden, the balls slamming into the fences as there's no bushes etc to deflect is massively annoying.

Huckleberries · 05/04/2026 21:19

My brother didn't half whine about it though 😂

Huckleberries · 05/04/2026 21:19

LMSLMS · 05/04/2026 21:03

This it it, people go 'kids playing is a lovely sound' this isn't playing, it's literally a ball being booted around so loudly, big thuds every few seconds, it's almost impossible to switch off to 🙃

Show quote history

We were only allowed to a ball made ofsponge! So we didn't upset anyone

Children playing is one thing
The noise of a constantly thudding ball is another

TheHouse · 05/04/2026 21:10

It is odd when there’s a huge green/field but yet they choose to play in the road, hitting cars and car windows etc.

I personally wouldn’t allow my kids to be that annoying, or stupid tbh. Mine played on the green or fields if they were playing football.

Original poster
LMSLMS · 05/04/2026 21:08

TheHouse · 05/04/2026 21:06

I don’t mind unless one of the little cunts hits my car again for the tenth time. And then I do mind. Like there’s a big fuck off field opposite my house but you little pricks want to play right outside my house near the cars.

Very annoying.

Yeah they do the same on our street, there's not really enough room for them to even play properly with all the cars on the road and they hit them 🫠

OP posts:
ThatDaringDenimTurtle · 05/04/2026 21:07

Just spread a rumour that a man in a van keeps driving past

TheHouse · 05/04/2026 21:06

I don’t mind unless one of the little cunts hits my car again for the tenth time. And then I do mind. Like there’s a big fuck off field opposite my house but you little pricks want to play right outside my house near the cars.

Very annoying.

Original poster
LMSLMS · 05/04/2026 21:05

NerrSnerr · 05/04/2026 19:52

Where exactly are they playing? I live on a main road and kids certainly couldn’t play football out the front as they’d be constantly dodging cars getting the ball back. Are they on the pavement/ road or is there some grass they’re playing on? (Just trying to picture it).

I do think it is nice for kids to be out for hours. Where I live kids can’t win- we have a MUGA in our village and people still moan when kids play football there as they get loud/ listen to music, even though it’s what it’s designed for

It's the main through road for the street, they literally have to move their goal post out the way to let cars by. There's a green area in the street but they don't use it. It's a busy road so they're constantly having to move out the way to let cars by anyway 🙃

OP posts:
Original poster
LMSLMS · 05/04/2026 21:04

ThroughTheRedDoor · 05/04/2026 19:56

12 months ago, I'd have said that it's a lovey thing and the best kind of neighbour noise you could hope for.

A new family has moved in a couple of doors down. The thud of the ball is just awful. From 7am till 9pm (Yep, even in the dark rhe lad is out there) some weekend days. And most days afterschool until 9. Its surprisingly hard to block it out.

So awful isn't it. Every few seconds just thud thud thud. It's so hard to switch off to and every so often it'll end up bashing our door 🫠 I agree it's lovely kids want to play outside but it's just so frustrating it's never outside theirs 🙃

OP posts:
Original poster
LMSLMS · 05/04/2026 21:03

LauraJaneGrace · 05/04/2026 20:35

Yes I would feel the same.
Other people's kids outside your house are annoying.
Other people's kids are just annoying in general and there is absolutely nothing wrong with feeling like that. When people say they love "the joyful noise" of children playing I wonder what type of Enid Blyton neighbourhood they live in.
It more often than not is just screeching, squawking and swearing these days.

This it it, people go 'kids playing is a lovely sound' this isn't playing, it's literally a ball being booted around so loudly, big thuds every few seconds, it's almost impossible to switch off to 🙃

OP posts:
LoveheartBear · 05/04/2026 20:47

My neighbour’s children play in their garden, which I don’t have a problem with (in fact, I love hearing children out playing).

My only issue is they keep kicking the ball against the fence, and the noise really annoys me 😖. I’m perimenopausal, so that probably doesn’t help!

AnSpideog · 05/04/2026 20:38

This never annoyed me in the least. Even before kids. Now I feel extra passionate about kids playing outside. I think it makes an area feel safe and family friendly. The noise isn’t annoying to me.

LauraJaneGrace · 05/04/2026 20:35

Yes I would feel the same.
Other people's kids outside your house are annoying.
Other people's kids are just annoying in general and there is absolutely nothing wrong with feeling like that. When people say they love "the joyful noise" of children playing I wonder what type of Enid Blyton neighbourhood they live in.
It more often than not is just screeching, squawking and swearing these days.

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