I live in a semi detached with poor soundproofing. My direct neighbour covers childcare for her daughter and home schools the grandchildren age 6/7 and 4 several times a week.
There never seems to be much home schooling going on as they stomp and run around the house all day. I hear balls being thrown at our shared wall for an hour at a time. I’ve had banging on walls overnight too and toys being thrown at my windows.
Im on maternity leave currently and wasn’t aware of how much I could hear until I started being home more. I put it down to poor parenting and unruly children at first, (no wish to offend) as they never seem to leave the house, not even to use the garden or to go to the park. Also that perhaps the woman wasn’t aware of how the noise carries so I ignored it hoping it would die down.
The noise begins at 6.30 and doesn’t stop until 7.30 when they’re taken home. They sleepover on occasional weekends and the noise is never ending so I stay with family on those weekends now.
I started getting myself prepped to have a polite word soon, as I’m due a baby soon and would like to have some rest without constant banging.
Then to throw a spanner in the works as I went to my car this afternoon the eldest child was standing near it watching me. He said hello so I said hello back. Neighbour nowhere in sight. He then asked if I had a baby in my tummy so I said yes and asked if he was having fun with his ball (it was bouncing against the shared wall just beforehand) he said no but nanny tells me I have to be noisy. I asked why and he said she doesn’t like you. So I said bye and went back inside as I didn’t feel comfortable talking to a young child while the responsible adult was inside the house. (Front door was open and it’s a small safe cul de sac).
Im now pretty upset and angry to find it’s on purpose. We’ve have no issues or falling out with this neighbour at all so I’m not sure why she would tell a young child she doesn’t like me and to then encourage them to be malicious.
I know some will say a newborn will cause a disturbance to her life, but not over the sound of these children. It’s unbearable and stressful. I already looked into reporting her and the local council will not consider complaints about children full stop. It means I will have to spend my leave and my baby’s early days/weeks tucked in the spare room to avoid the noise.
Do I confront her? I think if she knew it bothered me it would get worse as she clearly has it in for me. I just don’t know what to do. Her and her family have brand new cars and don’t work, I’m a young single mum (to be) renting my aunts house cheaply. Maybe she just looks down on me. Short of moving while heavily pregnant is there any advice that can make it more bearable?