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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Screaming Children...

48 replies

WiddlinDiddlin · 19/08/2018 03:07

AIBU to ask that parents stop their children from incessant fucking screaming?

I do not mean:
Colicky screamy babies
Toddler meltdowns
Frightened of a wasp kid
Laughter
Normal chatter or the odd shout

I mean games where the sole purpose and objective is to scream as loud and as long as possible and ideally, have all their little friends do the same.

I am not bitching about a one off, or one SN kid, I am talking about my entire estate appears to be full of small children whose best game this summer is 'scream like you are being murdered'.

I don't even think this is me being a grumpy old bitch - others in the area have noticed and commented on it as well, as have visitors to my house.

I am wondering if theres some sort of current craze or game among the under 10s - but can they shut the fuck up now please? Some of us have to work from home and have no way of blocking out the godawful noise.

It also means I am the least likely person to go and see if anyones really being murdered or kidnapped when I hear a kid scream now!

OP posts:
Original poster
WiddlinDiddlin · 19/08/2018 15:54

PorkFlute - lucky you - my facebook feed is full of people mentioning the same thing and they don't live near me!

I am not, as I have made pretty clear, complaining about the normal noises made by kids playing - it IS a specific game of 'scream as loud as you can' between small children, mainly girls.

I would actually record it on my phone but I think that crosses a line tbh.

Why on earth would I invent it - theres enough irritating stuff goes on here as you can see from my last post if I just wanted to bitch about noise!

OP posts:
blueskiesandforests · 19/08/2018 15:55

I've never heard this happen either Pork and we live in a village with a high number of children who all play out. Normal play noises heard but not the screaming described here and at other times on MN.

It must be a craze or something. It isn't something children just do...

luckycat007 · 19/08/2018 15:58

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels like this. I just take ear defenders out now - the ones I have are like typical ear plugs so nice and discreet.

The good news is it won't be so bad when the weather gets colder.

Don't get me wrong I do like kids but I find it hard to tolerate screaming.

Putyourdamnshoeson · 19/08/2018 15:58

I work in a primary school. It's not new. It only takes one or two and it's bloody contagious.

Original poster
WiddlinDiddlin · 19/08/2018 16:02

I have lived here nearly 10 years and it is the first summer I have experienced this, yes.

You do realise that just because you haven't experienced something first hand, that doesn't mean it doesn't happen/is a lie...

OP posts:
0h · 19/08/2018 16:18

I've recently moved house and now there's no garden between the side of my house and a grass/tree area.

So the kids play there, lean against my house and I'm literally a couple of inches through the wall and they are just wild! So much screaming and shouting. Even with headphones on I can hear them.

I've politely asked them to keep it down as they were frightening my pets (true!) and they all politely agree but then clearly are offended by my asking so then deliberately double their efforts to scream the loudest. Will get as close to my windows as they can.

I had less polite words yesterday and they've kept away so far. Next step is talking to the parents. It's that bad. In no way do I want to start a dispute with neighbours and really really just want to be left alone but it's incredible levels of noise for hours!

I have children and even they are asking why they are screaming and what's wrong!

ASimpleLampoon · 19/08/2018 16:41

YANBU

I have two very lively children who are sometimes noisy as children are, and most of the time well behaved and not ott.

One of my children is autistic and he does make noises sometimes when he stims (he runs back and fore and does a kind of aaaaaaaah aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah sound while he's doing it - it's several times a day). It must like be living next to a herd of rhino and I wonder what our neighbours think BUT I do not let him make a noise late at night or early morning or during the day if it's excessive or going on for a while. I have sensory issues myself so I probably am wanting them to tone it down before the neighbours do to be honest!

I'll let a certain amount of normal childlike noise during the day, but I will actually try to be aware of people around me and bring them inside and give them something quiet to do if they are screeching too loud for too long. My daughter and her friends can get really over excited and just screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeech! again, I allow them a bit of excited behaviour when they first arrive because it's hard for them to contain their excitement but I do try to tell them that they need to be considerate of others. My daughter understands much more than my son though.

Some of the neighbours children seem to be able to just disturb other people with no one telling them ever, and I've actually had to tell them myself to calm it down.

I'm glad you're understanding about SN - often though, I find typical children much more noisy than my child who alhtough has noisy moments, most of the time can go for long periods being quiet and engrossed in something so it all evens out!

thedevilinablackdress · 19/08/2018 17:16

Oh god. The screaming game! Seems to have been a thing round these parts this year and last.
I live in a tennement; can you imagine what it's like in a big, tiled communal close...😭😭

PaulRuddislush · 19/08/2018 17:57

I've worked with children for 15 years and it's not new. Posters questioning the veracity of the op seem to have fallen into the MN trap of "if it hasn't happened to me, it hasn't happened".

thedevilinablackdress · 19/08/2018 18:00

If it's not new, the localal children must just all have reached peak screaming age then 👍

Shopkinsdoll · 19/08/2018 18:00

I hate this! Years ago my mum went out and told of her neighbors kids for screaming. I had to listen to it on holiday, so annoying! Why do parents think this is acceptable?

OftenHangry · 19/08/2018 18:14

YANBU
Last summer was a bliss. Few shouts now and then, which is expected and fine. They are having fun after all.
But this summer...
It just looks like kids can't talk in normal volume anymore. It gets really loud, but luckily it's not all the time.
Can't imagine having one of them as a direct neighbour though.

CigarsofthePharoahs · 19/08/2018 18:54

My two children have faulty volume control.
It doesn't seem to matter how many times I tell them not to screech and shout, they still do.
My 4 year old just likes the sound of his own bellow. Believe me, we're working on it, but he just gets louder and louder.
I can remember on more than one occasion I lost my rag and shouted "WILL YOU STOP SHOUTING!" and then realised the irony.
I've come to the conclusion that they're just naturally annoying. I don't let them play out and about all day though. It's not fair to share the annoyance.

yerbutnobut · 19/08/2018 19:00

I have kids, not going to lie and say that they never make a sound but they never screamed in the street. A family on our small street clearly think they are the only ones here. Younger kids out banging footballs off ours and other neighbours cars, shouting to their siblings or friends who are stood feet away, swearing loudly (C word being a particular faveHmm).
No use challenging parents as they are the same, shout at each other in front garden, swear/name call and hit each other, they are the only fly in the ointment, street would be lovely without them.

RoyalAlfred · 19/08/2018 19:07

Yes. Screaming children - YADNBU

We don’t have too many round here, but back neighbours have screamy little visitors (mainly girls). DP thinks increased screamy-ness might be linked to screamy tv. Nobody seems to speak at normal volumes on tween and teenage programmes (especially the American ones). Our youngest DD seems to get louder after an iPad session watching Victorious, Cat & Sam etc...

MrsPartridgeStMarys · 19/08/2018 19:21

YANBU next door but ones kids are young prevshook and primary aged kids. They play in their back garden all day screaming. It’s incessant. I have two girls and I tell them off if they scream. It’s not acceptable.

lynmilne65 · 19/08/2018 19:51

Baby shark song GrinGrinGrinGrinGrinGrinGrin

tierraJ · 19/08/2018 21:22

Luckily I have two boys not girls next door they don't scream but can still be noisy although their mum does try to quieten them. The dad can be loud.

The Filipino men at the back are even louder & shout rather than talk. They love bbqs outside up against the back fence.

But no screaming girls round here.... yet!

CherryPavlova · 19/08/2018 21:40

They’re not being given enough exercise or sufficient chores!
A decent 8- 10 mile walk/play on beach or in woods gets most screaming out of most children aged 5 years plus. As they get older the exercise can be increased and adapted. An excellent 15 mile cycle picnic or 4 hours fell walking for an 8 year old does the trick.
It’s couch children who playfight and screech and lazy parents who let them. Even without money you can give your children sufficient exercise to ensure good sleep hygiene and behaviour.

Fluffyears · 19/08/2018 22:41

Thebchikdren on either side of us are finrnjust kiddie playing noises but one along the street is a screamer over nothing and then likes to have screaming fits that descend into tears. The last time it was because her dad was getting her bike out but took more than 4 seconds to do so. She screamed for a good 15 minutes then kept screaming as she played 😖

Original poster
WiddlinDiddlin · 20/08/2018 16:58

Screamy girl had a birthday party today.

She has a LOT of even screamier little friends!

I was already chewing on my desk trying to read a really AWFUL (kids!) book for a magazine review, and then I heard the Mummies say 'lets go inside its quieter'... to each other, not to their children!

It'd still be annoying if I could hear the adults responsible TRYING to get them to be quiet but I'd cope with that far better - its this apparent total inability to give a shit for anyone else living near here that really gets on my tits!

CherryPavlova This is probably why we as kids, were not screamy, not enough energy left even if it wasn't something we'd have had a swift thick ear for.

OP posts:
SomethingNastyInTheBallPool · 20/08/2018 18:45

Oh god, YANBU. It’s awful and so unnecessary. My DD(4) has hyperacusis and we have to leave soft plays etc when kids are playing the scream-as-much-as-you-can game. I feel like such a grumpy old bag, but there’s no way I or any of my friends would have been allowed to make that sort of noise when we were children.

LilyR2019 · 20/10/2019 20:27

This IS something kids do & I think parents don't care much as it gets them out of their immediate vicinity......first time I heard the screamfest I seriously thought the zombie apocalypse had kicked off?
I live on an estate & there are some frightful screamers, at least 3 kids with additional needs & they're running around screaming at all hours. I live in noise cancelling headphones, the noise is aural assault.

But the parents are just as loud (monkey see = monkey do) and probably where they develop their massive entitlement & lack of consideration from?....
Hopefully moving soon to an area NOT full of howler monkeys.....

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