Neighbour noise in early morning

[ILikePotato]

We had new neighbours move in a couple of months ago, a couple with a 6 year old boy. Haven’t really had much to do with them apart from the odd hello and such when we see them outside. They are quite noisy, very stompy, slam doors, and the little lad runs around a lot. Normal neighbour noise, even though it is annoying, and we live in a terrace so it’s to be expected. I haven’t mentioned anything, as I’m sure they hear the odd noise coming from us, but we don’t have kids no running about etc, and we are generally quite quiet.

the last week to 10 days I have been woken up at about 6am as the lad goes in to the parents bedroom, which we share a wall with and runs about being quite loud. Do I pop round and mention it? I am in no way expecting silence all day, but I am starting to get a bit annoyed with waking up so early and having to play white noise to drown him out and hopefully get some more sleep. I’ve tried ear plugs and I just can’t keep them in all night, and the couple of times I’ve still got them in by the time the morning comes around, I can still hear the banging about as it’s so loud! I also can’t swap to another room in the house, as there are only 2 rooms bedrooms and they are both on that wall, so you can still hear it.

I’m torn about going to say something or not, so asking for opinions…..

Could you move your bed to the opposite wall? Also try silicone earplugs they are amazing and mould to your inner ear.

I would definitely mention it as they might not realise how noise travels. Ask if they could either move downstairs, or keep the noise down before 8am.

Sounds like normal family noise , I once lived right near a heli pad believe me you do get used to the noise and sleep right through .

I have a boy the same age. I've also been the childless next door neighbour so I totally understand how annoying it is....but I honestly don't think going round there will make any difference. He's 6, it's what they do unfortunately. Believe me if I could make mine sleep in later or not wake everyone up at the crack of dawn I would be a very happy lady.

I would mention it. It's normal family noise however it's at 6am!
Anything outside 7-10 will disturb people sleeping and neighbour should be aware of this.

Unfortunately 6 year olds often wake early especially in the summers with all the bright mornings beginning so early. Not much you can do other than ear plugs and/ or moving your bed.

Do you have any sense of whether the parents are also loud, early risers or is it just the 6yo? If the parents are also contributing to the noise it might be worth saying something. But if it's just the boy then I don't think saying anything will make a difference. The parents are probably already doing what they can to quiet him, as I expect they don't want to be woken at 6am either.

My next door neighbour (terrace) takes great exception to being woken by my 2 (now 3) yo when she comes into our bedroom at a similar hour. But I'm struggling to do anything else to keep her quiet on top of what I already do. So his constant complaining achieves nothing because with the best will in the world I cannot silence her completely. I would love to still be asleep at 6am so I'm already very motivated to keep her quiet!

I don't think there's much you can do. 6 year olds do have a habit of early starts, I'm sure if they could get him to sleep in until 8 they would. Just be grateful it's not a newborn screaming all night (yet!)

I use loop quiet earplugs - so comfortable and block out all noise. I wear them every night now.

I would mention it politely.

They may or may not be able to do anything about it but at least they'll be aware it's disturbing you.

I’d mention it but don’t expect to get a pleasant response or for them to even do anything about it. They probably can’t do anything about it. Is there another room you could go to ?

On a similar theme, what time do you think is acceptable for children to be playing in the garden? I've been woken up at 6.45 on Sunday and 7 am yesterday by my neighbours, out in their garden with their toddlers. I left my windows shut last night, despite the heat, but even then was woken up at 7 by them.

So you were woken at 7am on a Monday morning?

totally reasonable

Doesn't matter.

Children playing isn't a noise nuisance even if it is an area of their property you don't like them being in at a particular time.

Also as a PP said on a Monday morning at 7am it definitely isn't a noise nuisance.

I'm so deeply grateful for my neighbours who have said 'oh no, we don't hear a thing, don't worry' every time I've apologised for my toddler noise because I know there's not much I could change if they complained. She isn't doing anything noisy beyond being a toddler noodling about in a morning

At the end of the day, you live in a terrace. They're not playing music or doing anything anti-social from what you've described. Just existing in a poorly sound-proofed house.

I think you should probably mention it in passing but god I feel for the parents- I had two years of trying to keep kids quiet for the neighbours’ sake and you all quickly land very much on edge, shushing everyone, kids getting even more hyper because of pent up energy etc. Hell on earth!! (But yes 6 is nuts!)

They are noisy in the sense of stomping up the stairs, slamming doors etc, the odd bit of raised voices, but not in the sense of loud music, having ragers at the weekend, pissing about in a hot tub until all hours kind of noisy.

They do actually have a 3 month old too, which I didn’t mention, as a baby crying I realise they can do nothing to stop.

just with the older lad they could maybe take him downstairs?

Can’t go to another room, can’t move the bed due to built in wardrobes

Completely agree about living in a terrace, totally get that there is noise to be expected, and yes, he is just a kid being a kid, which is why I’m going back and forth about mentioning anything.

think I’ll try and invest in some better earplugs as my first line of defence. Those saying silicone, are they the ones that look like Christmas trees?

It's interesting that both responders ignored the even earlier wake up time on Sunday! I wouldn't have taken my children into the garden this early on any day of the week, as it is anti social to wake up dozens of people at this time.

Adjust your own body clock and go to bed at 11/11.30 then you'll have had plenty of sleep! :)

The loops I looked at just seemed to be aimed at dulling noise rather than cancelling it out all together?.

I do have some big proper noise cancelling headphones similar to the massive beats ones for use doing the day when he gets a bit boisterous, but don’t fancy lying in bed with them on 😂

As I'm peri-menopausal, I've been waking up at about 4-5am, and if I'm lucky might be able to get another hour or so before 8am, but not if I'm woken again at 6.45 / 7. I do remember the times of early wake up times with small children, but personally would consider the impact on other people of excited shouty children so early in the morning. I think before 8am is inconsiderate.

Sometimes people don't realise how sound travels in their house. If you are quiet and considerate, they might think that because they don't hear you, you don't hear them.

I would try being a bit noisier yourself for a while. Not mean and annoyingly so, but perhaps let doors close with a bit of a bang and occasionally move furniture a bit. Maybe a cheerful shout upstairs that 'dinner's ready' Just so they realise the limit of the property's sound insulation.

I have done this with new neighbours and it was very successful. After years of wondering why successions of previous neighbours were so much noisier than us, I twigged!

If it doesn't work, no harm done; no awkward words.