Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbour's toddler waking entire street up

306 replies

Myheadhurtsintheheat · 27/07/2018 09:04

I've NC'd for this as it might be outing.

Our NDN has an 22-month-old DC who doesn't talk much but squawks like a parrot at top volume. I swear this is no exaggeration - it's the most bizarre noise. From what we can tell, toddler's parents never encourage him not to make the noise - they just let him squawk. I think they're from the "be expressive" school of thought.

My AIBU is that they're bringing him out into their back garden at 6.30am when he's up and he's squawking everyone awake, including my DC, whose room is at the back too. I get that it's very hot and really hard for kids to sleep at the moment, but isn't it incredibly selfish to inflict that noise on everyone else if you're not going to try to teach the child to moderate it when appropriate? Or am I just being a grumpy old moaner?

And if INBU, should I say something?

OP posts:
kaytee87 · 27/07/2018 09:36

I'd just ask them if they would mind staying inside until a decent time as you're all being woken up at 6.30

NotAnotherUserName5 · 27/07/2018 09:38

They sound nuts!
Bet they’ve gone back to bed now for a lovely sleep now that the whole streets been woken up.

A polite note through the door is what I’d be doing I think.

LastOneDancing · 27/07/2018 09:38

Mine are allowed out at 8. Too much loud shouting, crying or screeching and they come back in.
My 2yo is a man of few words but he still understands 'shhhhh!'.

YABU - Your neighbours are inconsiderate!

BottleOfJameson · 27/07/2018 09:39

Gileswithachainsaw

Absolutely - what I mean is if that's his current means of communicating you can't help that right away - I'm sure they'd much rather he could talk. Of course you can engage him in something that won't be loud if it's 6:30 in the morning and you can definitely keep him inside and not waking up the neighbours!

LastOneDancing · 27/07/2018 09:39

Gah - i meant YANBU!

mistermagpie · 27/07/2018 09:40

My DS is 16 months and very much of the parrot squawk school of communication. No point specifically mentioning that part because it's not like the parents won't have noticed! My DS's racket irritates me as much as the next person but short of taping up his mouth there isn't much I can do about it. My other DS never made that kind of noise either, so I don't think it's down to parenting.

What you can do is raise the issue of him being in the garden that early. Mine are usually out from around 8 just now but I wouldn't let them out at half six, it's not fair on others.

Cismyass · 27/07/2018 09:40

YANBU OP. He sounds awful.

formerbabe · 27/07/2018 09:42

Who mentioned complaining to the council, formerbabe?

No one did. I'm just making the point that the noise you are describing is not something which is seen as unreasonable..you can talk to the parents but they'd be perfectly entitled to tell you to get lost.

SplishSplashSplosh · 27/07/2018 09:42

6.30 is early to be outside if they know child will be noisy.

Regarding the fact they 'don't appear to ask him to be quieter', my youngest is 2 and sometimes she likes to scream out. Not because she is upset but she just likes to do it. The more we tell her not to (she's very loud), the more she does it. We have even shown her how to be quieter but it's no use. It just becomes a game and she continues. Maybe the parents are having a similar situation with him

Gileswithachainsaw · 27/07/2018 09:45

former

Ignoring your child for ages while he sqwarks and makes a racket is absolutely unreasonable.

If he were crying and you heard him through the walks and the parebts were trying to comfort him then no that cabt he helped.

You can help chucking him out so he wakes the neighbours and u can close a door and forget about it though

Are you the neighbour?

formerbabe · 27/07/2018 09:45

You can sit down and look at a book together or even stick on a movie interact with the child etc
An occupied child doesn't squawk quite as much

Yes, far better to stick a toddler in front of a screen Confused. Why should they just to appease a neighbour?

SlartiAardvark · 27/07/2018 09:46

I'm afraid I'd be bellowing out of the window "Enough, trying to sleep here!".

All your other neighbours will be thanking you & you may even get a bellow of support!

Gileswithachainsaw · 27/07/2018 09:46

Er cos it's half six and a book is far nore educational than screeching in the garden

MarthasGinYard · 27/07/2018 09:46

I'd be sticking my head out the window I'm afraid and then slamming shut.

formerbabe · 27/07/2018 09:47

Are you the neighbour?

Er, no. I don't have a toddler.

I never read the bit about them chucking the child outside Shock

BottleOfJameson · 27/07/2018 09:48

Gileswithachainsaw

I don't think she means it's reasonable from a moral point of view (we all agree it isn't) I think she means it's reasonable from a legal point of view. Obviously something being legal doesn't mean it's not totally obnoxious and selfish just that you have no recourse if the parents choose to be dicks about it.

SlartiAardvark · 27/07/2018 09:48

Why should they just to appease a neighbour?

Because the rights of fully functioning adults trump those of toddlers with less cranial capacity than a fucking goat FFS.

I'd be having (several) words with the neighbour & pointing out what's acceptable & what's not.

swishbish · 27/07/2018 09:48

'No one did. I'm just making the point that the noise you are describing is not something which is seen as unreasonable..you can talk to the parents but they'd be perfectly entitled to tell you to get lost.'

yes and if they do tell you get lost I would have a super soaker at my bedside ready to aim at the parents as soon as they go outside so early with him !! - obs not the kid...just the parents for being inconsiderate twits! Wink Grin

MarthasGinYard · 27/07/2018 09:49

Have I read this wrong or do they leave dc outside alone?

CocoaGin70 · 27/07/2018 09:49

You're far more restrained than me OP. I'd be parroting out of the window back, saying thanks yes we're all awake too now Grin

SlartiAardvark · 27/07/2018 09:50

I never read the bit about them chucking the child outside

So every comment you've made is irrelevant then!!

The child is squawking outside in the garden at 06:30 - that's the whole premise of the AIBU. Hmm

I hope you feel silly now

BumpInTheOven · 27/07/2018 09:50

My 5 week old is a squawker.... 😑

God help my neighbours during the 1,3 & 5 am feeds 😬

formerbabe · 27/07/2018 09:50

BottleOfJameson. Yes, that was my point. Children make noise. The weather is hot. That's life.

formerbabe · 27/07/2018 09:52

Re..the chucking out? I've read the whole thread. Where is it mentioned? Are the parents in the garden too or is he by himself?

BottleOfJameson · 27/07/2018 09:52

Does remind me actually of when I was a teenager. I'd had a sleepover and at 6am the neighbour's kids were out in the garden playing some game then arguing over who had won.

"I won"
"It was a draw"
"I won"
"It was a draw" x 1000

My usually very quiet friend who had been staying opened my window and shouted "IT WAS A DRAW!" at the top of her voice and slammed the window shut. Worked like a dream.