Are we a nightmare to live next door to?

[squinker45]

Me and d h child mind from home. We have d s 6 and d d 4, plus up to 5 other under fives. Nice weather means the kids are in the garden every day from 830 to 930 then 3 to 5, then 5..30 to 6. The rest of the time we are out at groups, or eating or sleeping etc. Neighbours hate us! They came round to complain saying this is a nice quiet area and her kids, teenagers, could not revise under these conditions. Also that she knows the other neighbours, who have barking dogs,feel the same as she does. They are old friends and their kids are the same age. Bet it wasn't a nice quiet area ten years ago when they got the paddling pool out. Aibu to think they are being overly arsey? We have only been here six months. Semi detached house. No complaints about the noise from within the house but a clear expectation to keep noise in the garden to a whisper. We work four days a week, neighbour works 2.

That sounds horrific
My sister has been unlucky enough to have a childminder set up next to her, she works in an office all the time but for people who have to hear this dally it must be horrific.
I would say it shouldn't be allowed in a residential street.

Your scenario happened in my DP's estate. New build bungalows with lots of older couples and a lady began childminding from her home. There followed years of misery for lots of people. The couples either side of her (one lady wheelchair bound) couldn't enjoy their new homes for the amount of noise outside and the traffic in the street caused problems for everybody.

The council were involved in disputes and ultimately the childminder was ordered to keep the children indoors until after 9am and had to provide off-road parking (by paving her front garden) for all staff she employed. Neighbourhood relations didn't ever improve and most of the neighbours sold up and moved on, many of the houses selling at less than they were worth.

It's not a problem now as the childminder was murdered by her son a couple of years ago and the house has sat empty ever since, it still has has Christmas decorations up. It wasn't the solution to the issues obviously, but the area is back to being very quiet and peaceful.

I'm surprised you were able to get planning permission for this, tbh. I'd campout in the planning office to stop it.

*desired solution to the issues

That's a lot of kids to be honest and the constant shrieking would annoy me. But that's all part of living in society so..

Also your comparison to young kids and paddling pools is unfair
You're running a business and the noise is every day. I want to hide under the bed just thinking about it.

I think your neighbour got off lightly with only 7 children next door, especially as you have an assistant.

There is no limit on the number of children over 8 years old, under 8s are regulated, over 8? You can have plenty.

I have known a childminder have in excess of 12 children. Now that's noisy and completely legal.

In the interests of neighbourly relations I would try to cut back at bit while the exams are on. Can't you take them to the park for one if these chunks?

I would hate to be your neighbour. Sounds like pure hell.

Jesus dot that post escalated quickly. She was murdered

7 kids in the garden would possibly get a bit grating if loud and squeely types.

I would SO much rather hear children playing than say the thump of the base from music or a dog barking. I also find I'm really easily able to switch off from children if they're not my responsibility! Music however, totally different kettle of fish - second hand music (even from DH downstairs if I am working upstairs) drives me to distraction.

Technically you are not doing anything wrong but it would drive me absolutely crazy. I do have a very low tolerance for noise though, especially children (including my own) but this is why we live rurally with fields of cows for neighbours, both so I don't have to endure noise from our neighbours and so I don't have to worry about DS making a racket when he is outside.

Dot, wow, that's quite something! Had the son lived there and slowly lost his mind?

Oh my god, just read dot's post! Blimey.

I really sensitive to noise and appreciate that it's my own issue but honestly I'd probably be driven insane living next door to you. I'd really feel I couldn't relax in my own garden or have my windows open and it would make my life miserable.
I probably wouldn't say anything because legally I don't think you're doing anything wrong but I would look to move as soon as possible.
Can you see each others gardens too? that would make me doubly pissed off, especially if I was out in my garden and kids were looking over every minutes.

As the op is looking after children under the age of 5 they need to have free access to the outdoors. She does take them to groups so they're not out there all day. The logistics of 2 adults watching 6 under 5's in a park would bother me and I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't be happy for their toddler to do trips like that. People have a right to childmind from their home. What do the neighbours suggest the op does - change career? Thankfully for all the people on here who use cms most neighbours aren't like the ops. And unless the ops son is homeschooled there would be a maximum of 6 kids in the garden if she was full and they were all out there at the same time.

You've only lived there 6 months! Did you build up a good relationship with your neighbours before you started child minding or did you bring the business with you?

I've sympathy with your neighbours - but doubt you're coming back to this thread to notice.

I'm totally torn on this.

On the one hand, we hear so much about kids spending too much times indoors so I think it's good they are outside part of the day. That said, I agree with a pp who suggested taking them to a park/out for a long walk/to a local play centre for the afternoon session. Is that possible? (I have no idea if there any issues around taking children out in a childminding scenario. Do you need parental permission or insurance like school trips? I've never used a childminder.)

That way you'd reduce the amount of time spent in your garden by two hours a day, which I hope would be a decent compromise for the neighbours, and the kids would still get outdoor time.

I realise the OP isn't going to change career but I wish the law would crack down on this. I was stunned by the noise at my sister's place. She's very lucky that she's not there and she's the sort who is away for every annual leave period. I work at home a lot.

All children should be kept indoors at all times learning Latin and parsing sentences.

It's only fair and decent.

ffs.

Jesus dot that post escalated quickly. She was murdered

He was her youngest son, aged about 30. A big bruiser of a man who had intimidated the neighbours who were complaining about the noise. She disappeared just before Christmas and her staff opened her home/nursery the day it was due to reopen in January just in case she turned up. She didn't and it closed again the next day.

The full story...www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-34921520

Bloody hell :( thats awful

I wish the law would crack down on this.

There's not enough flexible childcare in this country though. There's a good childminding business for the taking in our village but no one will do it because of all the red tape and the moaning entitled parents