Does the sound of children playing annoy you?

[newmane40593]

I could just be being paranoid. My neighbours seem lovely never had any issues. I have, however, noticed since lockdown DD has obviously been playing a lot in the garden. They regularly seem to go in when DD is out. She isn't loud but does chatter away to herself with whatever she is playing with although I wouldn't say it's constant. Would others find this annoying? TBH even if it was I can't tell her to play in silence or force her indoors all the time. There are other children playing in close by gardens aswell. Also there is an elderly lady who lives behind us who seems to enjoy DD presence and often waves and watches her.

Not really, no. And even if I did, so what? The world cannot revolve around what I find annoying or otherwise. If it did, people wouldn't be driving Chelsea tractors around or wearing loads of perfume or listening to shit music loud enough for me to hear it or walking dogs off leads, etc.

But @iwalk those things don’t affect your enjoyment of your home.

I think it’s really nice that @newmane40593 is considering her neighbours.

I don't mind it in general, but there's times I do, for no apparent reason. Times I just like to sit and be on my own. Sometimes I hear my neighbours door open and scuttle inside because I don't want to be in the same space as someone else. So I might do the same as your neighbour sometimes.

That's totally on me though, I'd never ever say anything or ask for a change, because it's my issue about how I'm feeling which shouldn't need to impact anyone else that's doing something perfectly normal.

My neighbour's garden backs on to mine. They don't scream or shriek but the endless whining, "muuuuuum xx won't let me play in the sandpit", "muuuuuuum yy won't give me back the ball", "muuuuuuuuuuum yy ate my biscuit" etc,etc, etc, for hours drives me nuts.

Ah, so when I am at home I have an absolute right to experience nothing that affects my enjoyment of it? What about other people's right to enjoy their home? Why would my wish not to hear children playing override their wish to play? Why would my enjoyment be more important than theirs?

It can be annoying. Our neighbour’s child screams and they seem to encourage it. I always go inside when they come out. I wouldn’t complain though just avoid if poss. Children chattering to themselves is ok. But everyone has different things that aggravate. I can’t bare people who hum and whistle. Gives me the rage! Again I wouldn’t dream of complaining but I would definitely move away.

Yes it's so annoying.

It annoys the hell out of me, and I go indoors too if I hear it.
However I am fully aware that this is my problem, not theirs. People are allowed to do whatever they wish in their gardens within reason obviously, and I definitely don't think you should feel bad about it.
At this time especially, children need an outlet for their energy.

The sound of playing, laughing, giggling are all lovely. The high pitch blood curdling, I'm-being-murdered scream is awful.

I tell my Dc to stop doing it. The neighbours do not.

Generally I think we need to try not to be antisocial at the moment. So if that means home schooling indoors, despite it being a sunny day, then so be it. Pretty sure I sent the young couple inside yesterday when I was nagging DC about times bloody tables.

I'd take the kids out the back shrieking on the trampoline, arguing, screeching and bickering over the guy next door sitting and running his gammony mouth off about all the opinions the Sun has told him he HAS to have every day from dawn to 10pm at night.

At the moment mine get brought in the second the whining or bickering starts - but DD2 had all her play food out of the playhouse yesterday having a party with some of her cuddly toys and I really cannot see anyone having a reasonable objection to that.

I forgot to mention that when neighbours kids are playing without whining they are hilarious. I could sit and listen to their make believe role play games all day long....the policeman alien was my particular favourite, especially when she arrested the toy unicorn for "pooing on the grass"

I like the sound of children playing, I always think that the people who complain about it are the same ones who complain about being woken up by birdsong.

I guess I'm lucky that I've never heard the screeching people on MN are always posting about, despite living in an area with lots of children younger than my own are. I wonder whether it's regional...

What I hate are people using power tools in the garden for extended periods - yesI know they have the right blah, blah,blah but that's far more antisocial than children playing.

The sound of children playing normally doesn't annoy me BUT in current circumstances, being all stuck in house and garden yes it's grating me just now.
My neighbours have LOUD children who are allowed out to play from 7am until 6pm which I think is ridiculous.
They are never told to quieten down or keep noise down. By noise it's everything from shouting on each other, talking loudly/can any child play without shouting? Screaming, squealing, repeatedly shouting at the poor dog.

It's not the fact it's children playing that's annoying, it's the lack of regard by the parents for the times they are allowed free roam and lack of parenting in controlling the unnecessary noise that riles us.

Then the father comes out to join them...and we hear his big booming self righteous voice over them all then it's definitely time to go inside for us . These are the type of people who then complain about our trees blocking their light

Even if they do find it annoying as long as you are being reasonable in what she is allowed to do its more important for dc to play. So if it's during the day and not too noisy then don't worry about the neighbours. Only if it's early, late or the noise is very loud or irritating would I stop children from playing in favour of the neighbours.

I’d only find it unreasonable if the kid was making a very repetitive noise, like bouncing a basketball, for prolonged periods of time or being excessively noisy.
General play noise is fine.

Yes, it bothers me if they're being quite loud, but I have hyperacusis (sensitivity to noise), and that's absolutely my issue! I'll wear noise cancelling headphones and listen to my own music if I want to sit out whilst the neighbours and their children are outside being boisterous, kicking their ball against the fence, screaming at each other etc. A little girl chattering away to herself is unlikely to bother me though.

What I cannot abide however, is their children climbing up to the fence to stare at me because their Father has decided that he doesn't like me because I'm not a "local"

Maybe they have fertility issues. It can be painful to be around children if you desperately want them but cannot get or stay pregnant.

No. I don't like it. I prefer peace and quiet. In fact if I'm doing a complex bit of work, trying to reconcile a control account, I like total silence.

Thus, this is clearly a problem. Especially with all 4of us at home during covid.

It makes me really happy to hear children playing - even the screeching or shouting for footballs or whatever. It's the innocence of it. I suppose because I know one day it will stop and they'll have the worry of world on their shoulders.

Well, that's my Eeyore-esque thought for the day

We're a mostly very quiet couple, and the house backing on to ours has multiple feral children, about 5 under 10, who spend every day kicking balls against our fence, swearing at each other, with mum coming out every hour or so to smack them or tell them to shut the fuck up Jimmy, I won't tell you again, etc.

Today we've put a shed up, including some banging, probably the first outdoor noise we've made in 2 years.

The mum came out earlier to ask us when we'd be finished with that fucking racket.

No, kids playing doesn't bother me. Our garden backs on to quite a busy road and generally noise doesn't bother me.

The neighbours dog three doors down who barks continuously all bloody days does though! No exaggeration, it's all day, as soon as he's out there. Nobody takes him out though, or let's him in, or gives him attention. So annoying.

Doesn’t bother me at all. Next door (semi) are often on the trampoline and the other side (not attached) are having a bbq. Kind of quite like the background noise really as it’s fairly unobtrusive really. Although secretly I do love it during the day when it’s really quiet!

My user name comes from my neighbour!