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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To let my kids play out the front with the other kids?

61 replies

melonsmaygotobed · 19/08/2012 23:10

We live in a cul-de-sac. We are one of 5 families whose children love playing out on their bikes/scooters etc and they all get on famously, including the adults. It is, what I call, a 70's utopia.

I was approached this evening, at about 730 by a bloke who lived on the other side of the fence at the end of the road who said that the noise of the children was causing such offence that he was considering moving. He left with the line 'well I've asked you nicely'. I was on my own with my 2 at this point, despite there being 3 families out there half an hour before Hmm

I have logged it with the police, but is the noise of children playing so offensive? They don't chuck things over the fence, they just play. Yes they shriek at times, but they are only out there for about an hour or two a day!!

They are mostly between the ages of 3 and 5.

OP posts:
Spinaroo · 19/08/2012 23:12

Nope, yadnbu!

WorraLiberty · 19/08/2012 23:13

There's always a moaner in every street.

I wouldn't worry about it unless I had a screamer...and then I'd be out telling them to keep it down myself.

squoosh · 19/08/2012 23:14

YANBU

Let the fucker move.

cocolepew · 19/08/2012 23:14

He's an idiot. Give him the number for some estate agents Smile

FutTheShuckUp · 19/08/2012 23:14

Tell him you can recommend a very good estate agent

pchip · 19/08/2012 23:14

The police?! Christ, no wonder no one talks to their neighbours anymore. YABU

JumpingThroughMoreHoops · 19/08/2012 23:14

You logged it with the police?????

Why?

Was he threatening?

He wants to move house to get way from screaming kids, he has the right to enjoy his property, and no one in their right mind lets 3-5 yo's street play.

Beamur · 19/08/2012 23:14

What a misery! If you live in a street with 'family' sized houses, chances are high you'll have neighbours with kids - kids make noise. I have some sympathy with him as obviously he would like some peace and quiet. But without being too hard nosed about it, he probably should move to somewhere where he can enjoy more quiet as he's going to get wound up now every time he hears kids playing.

usualsuspect · 19/08/2012 23:14

Send him the details of the local estate agents.

valiumredhead · 19/08/2012 23:15

Personally I think by 7.30 it's time for kids to be thinking of coming in and playing in their own gardens by then especially at that age -but I am a grumpy old bat.

Justhadenough · 19/08/2012 23:15

YANBU, let them play.

enteramusingnamehere · 19/08/2012 23:15

He has no balls, waiting until you were on your own. I could understand if it was after 9pm but 7.30?? Was it past his bedtime?? Haha.

Original poster
melonsmaygotobed · 19/08/2012 23:15

Hmm, I may be the mother of a bit of a screamer. But he wasn't screaming this evening. And he's usually indoors playing with his trains when we're out.

OP posts:
chocolatespiders · 19/08/2012 23:18

Children playing is one of my fav sounds. I live near a school and love hearing the children out on the field playing.

Sounds like the rotters near me that moved into a house opposite a skate park and have now complained about the noise. Sad because my dd loves the skate park and it is now threatened with closure,

topknob · 19/08/2012 23:18

You sound as if you live in my cul-de-sac, there are some kids, from my family and 5 from others who play out the front, no one complains and if they did I would give them what for. These kids are out on their bikes/scooters and behaving, except for the odd noisy thing every now and then.

OldGreyWiffleTest · 19/08/2012 23:19

Well, I am sure that gave the Duty Police a little light relief........."someone has just phoned to say her neighbour is complaining about kids playing in the street".

Yeh, right!

Original poster
melonsmaygotobed · 19/08/2012 23:19

Ha ha entera - I said the same to him. His reply was to say ' if my son parked at the end and played his beat box loudly from his car, would you think that was ok? '

And ' do you hear my 22 year old son playing his music?' (from their very large house where Porches drive off loudly every day)

Grrr

OP posts:
MAYBELATERNOWIMBUSY · 19/08/2012 23:20

Kids screeching? fab , they are KIDS ! tell fuckwit neighbour to go play "tag" with cars , preferably on the motorway !!!!!!

squoosh · 19/08/2012 23:20

Oh I just noticed the police calling bit . . . . . bit of an overreaction.

cocolepew · 19/08/2012 23:20

Why would you not let 3-5 year olds play in the street?

BlackberryIce · 19/08/2012 23:20

Why did you call the police.?

needsachange · 19/08/2012 23:21

Our road sounds exactly like yours loads of kids playing out and all the parents are friends. We also have a moaner who lives at the other end to where the kids play that says we lower the tone and house prices are going to fall on our street because of it!
He's the only one that has an issue as everyone I talk to says how nice it is to see them playing out and us parents enjoying ourselves with them!
I'd take no notice YANBU

cocolepew · 19/08/2012 23:22

Telling the police wasnt a bad, it's probably his next move and the op got in before him.

aliasjoey · 19/08/2012 23:23

better to be playing in your cul-de-sac than roaming the street in gangs, sadly nobody seems to want kids especially teenagers around.

NickyNackyNooNoo · 19/08/2012 23:23

I had this from my bonkersly passive aggressive neighbour "my babies are trying to sleep" - it was 7pm & her kids are 5 & 2!
Personally I think in the summer holidays anytime before 8/9 ish is ok, or should all kids be holed up on x boxes Angry