And lo, the screaming in gardens has started

[Lludmilla]

Kids have been off school 1.5 days. That didn't take long, did it??

(And yes, I know this is a polarising topic on here, but today I'm really struggling to wfh due to constant screaming from kids playing in gardens. And no, I don't mean shouting or laughing or giggling, none of which I'd have a problem with... I mean full-on, top-of-the-lungs screaming.)

I get that we have to make allowances/keep things in proportion etc etc at a time like this, I really do. I also get that it's nice that we at least have some sunshine during all this, and I think it's great that kids can play in their gardens. But the SCREAMING. It's like this every single year in my street as soon as the sun dares to show its face, it gets to me and makes it hard to concentrate on work, and sometimes I need to vent even though I know I'm likely to get a pasting for it.

Surely it can't just be me?

I'm finding the constant dog barking more annoying.

Screaming is not a behaviour I've ever tolerated from my kids.
It was treated like any other bad behaviour.
They were told to stop and if they didn't there were consequences.

Screaming for no reason or during play is antisocial.

I'd love some kids making a racket to cover up the sound of the sirens, and I'm in the UK.
Perspective is needed here.
If you don't normally work from home it will take some adjustment, I use ear defenders quite a lot if I'm at home.

DH might just be a dick but when he started to wfh (encouraged by HMCTS - the court service) he was very entitled being used to an adult only environment where screaming DC and barking dogs are completely absent.

He essentially wanted to change our home into his workplace.

It's not. It is selfish to expect other people to act as if they have taken over your office because you are wfh.

We moved to a rural area with no neighbours as DC did not recognise 'social norms' of using indoor voice to show respect to neighbours and the wider social community (ASD) so we have no externally generated noise to cope with but DH would even complain if I vacuumed or played music because it was embarrassing when he was on a conference call.

Kids make noise, dogs bark even when brought indoors each time.

Atm - the dog is going to lose his voice because people have decided that the countryside is a safe place to get out and so the single track lane past our house is now like Piccadilly Circus with a constant stream of walkers, joggers, cyclists. I don't mind if they are local and practising social distancing but they aren't. We never used to meet anyone on dog walks. It's really hard to avoid people on a designated footpath through farmer's fields where there is not a circular route.

We all need to compromise. Just don't assume that your 'work' trumps my right to live in my home in a usual way (which includes DC and dogs that may be noisy when you are on a conference call etc) or that town dwellers rights to take exercise trump those of us that live in the countryside.

Our neighbours garden is 50 yds away but you can hear their children screaming from 100 yds or more down the road Not laughing or shouting but screaming. Add the builders radios and the cement mixers and there is no peace and quiet here.

I much prefer winter

Tolerance should work both ways. Why is it always those who do nit have small children at home making these god awful noises the ones that are expected to suffer? Ffs we are all struggling right now. Keep,your children from screaming. Let them play, laugh, shout now and again but stop them screaming.

Parents should stop there children screaming, if they don't then wait till the little shits go to bed and play extremely loud music. Tell them that if they stop the noise, you will too.

I have no tolerance for one way noise. I will give it back to them. Most neighbours only do that to me once.

Charming

Someone mentioned that parents don't have it easy either. Consideration should be made by those around them and ignore or whatever. To make things easier and nicer for the children. It would be so much easier to shout to your children, the screamers, to come in.

Just like other parents have done who are also trying to work from home, listening to not only the sounds of their own children, but the neighbours scream.

Yes, we all have to make sacrifices. That doesn't include not parenting during working hours. Why should others have to suffer because of your lack of actions?

I’m also wfh but don’t begrudge children playing. Wouldn’t bother me, just glad the weather is nice for them while all this is going on.

I don't think anyone has said they begrudge the children playing. Just that extremely loud scream some do all day long.
It's not toddler tantrum noise. It's worse than this.
It is ear-splitting. Not the typical noise children make when playing. Yes, they shout, they laugh, they sing. This is wonderful to hear.
This noise you can hear it through double glazing.

Either side of me, girls are screaming whilst their trampolines are squeaking, I don't know which noise grates more ....

It's amazing how many posters seem to think that children can only play if they are allowed to scream.

It's really not difficult to teach children that screaming is something you do if you need help.

It isn't intolerant to object to children screaming all day.

I was working on the patio earlier and next doors kids came outside and were screaming so loud. I just put some rap music on with lots of swearing and moved my speakers to the door and the parents soon brought them in

This whole thread has really cheered me up. There's something so reassuring about seeing MNers rehash the same argument for the billionth time even in a global pandemic - it's nice to know that some things never change.

In all honestly, it's really best parents start dealing with this now. It frays on nerves during the Easter holidays during a normal year.

The year, that tolerance won't be there. People will crack because they are stressed etc. You/you're children might not like what comes out of someone else's mouth. Just because you wouldn't shout to shut the fuck up or similar, doesn't mean your neighbour won't. People will come banging on your door. They do it for music blaring already.

I'm not condoning swearing, banging on doors etc. But I'm not everyone.

Well the lion king dad is off again for the millionth time today. He only knows the first line of the song but he seems to enjoy it. Child is now repeating the line after him. Over and over. Roaring and squealing about to commence. Followed by the clatter of the child falling over (why don’t they buy a bloody rug?) and screaming.

What he really needs is a NERF gun to the ballsack

I'm quite shocked by this thread. Who are these screaming children? My children play but don't scream, and the same is true of all the neighbours. I have never experienced this at all. Can only assume it's intolerance and exaggeration from those lucky enough not to be isolating with primary school aged children whilst also working full time from home. Give us a break.

Summer garden noise nearly breaks me every year - and it's not the squealing children (mine can try to do that and get made to come inside if they start)... it's the endless endless power tools (I seem to live in DIY central) and the guy next door who sits drinking and playing music and having endless bbq parties (I'm praying at least these are cancelled this year) every night from about March to October. I'm at breaking point with my mental health at present anyway (don't want to bother the NHS right now for obvious reasons) - and that starting will send me completely over the edge.

No exaggeration- I have stay at home dads above and below and they are very loud.

One child starts yelling at 6am (or earlier) and hollers for about 20 mins before someone picks her up. It’s pretty much noise from then on until we leave for work/school and she leaves for nursery (she hollers then too). When I get home from work she is getting home and dad likes to chase her around, singing at the top of his voice. They are home all day now.

Other child is looked after by dad and he is the lion king dad. They have wooden floors and like to run around and bash things. He yells. She yells. She cries a lot - a lot. So does the child downstairs.

The kids in the mews are preschool and run up and down yelling. More so now because they aren’t going to the park. The house beyond (behind the missing news house) has a trampoline and three grandchildren (who are visiting now). They shriek and yell on the trampoline.

This is not an exaggeration. At bedtime - around 9 - both upstairs and downstairs hold protests. I can hear papa telling a story now. He likes to stand on the balcony and yell - just for the hell of it. He is teaching his little girl to do this too.

‘Helooooooooo!’ ‘Alooooooooooo!’ ‘Where is everybody?’ ‘Are you there?’ ‘Aloooooooooo’ from downstairs.

‘Auuuuuu sekamua!!!!!!! Roar roar roar - aiiiiiiiiiiiiii!’ from upstairs.

I have to admire their stamina but for the love of god - shut up!

I hear your screaming children and raise two pitbulls in a poorly fenced suburban garden.
Do I win?

Hmmmmm. That’s a toughie!

Oh god. French dad has just started singing lion king. So I now have Spanish lion king dad and french lion king dad.

Please bear in mind that some of us are working from home as well as looking after our children. Frankly I think that you should be less insensitive.