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AIBU?

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Original poster

Pesky kids next door!!

13 replies

sweetjane · 25/06/2007 10:05

We live in a terrace with walls that may as well be made of paper, and our neighbour's kids are SO NOISY. They are only 3 and 5 years old and yet are still up and running aboout screaming at half eleven at night, sometimes midnight, every night of the week. They have recently started getting worse (ie noisier) and disturbing my ds (who is tucked up in bed at 7:30 - [smug emoticon]).

Is there a tactful way I can have a word with my neighbour, or not? I don't want to fall out with them cos they are nice people, and I wouldn't bother if it hadn't started disturbing my ds. I also don't want it to sound like I am telling them how to bring up their kids, but it can't be good for them to be up that late, surely? The older one is in school and must be permanently exhausted!

What do you think?

OP posts:
ellis65 · 25/06/2007 10:16

i wouldn't say anything, cos they will only think your a nosey parker, and it will cause you more embarrassment and stress, you could always contact local council and ask them to have a word, but the only thing is confidentiality!!

Yurtgirl · 25/06/2007 10:20

maybe they dont realise that their noise can be heard by you
I would tactfully point out that you can and that it keeps your ds awake

I definitely wouldnt do nothing tbh - you have a right to live happily in your house just as they do next door.

Freckle · 25/06/2007 11:13

Could you approach your neighbours in a friendly/concerned way? E.g. Gosh, you must be exhausted all the time with your children up so late and being so noisy! I don't know how you cope. I'm barely functioning with ds being in bed from 7.30pm!

That sort of thing. Not a complaint as such but letting them know that you hear their children at a very late hour.

MamaMaiasaura · 25/06/2007 11:20

IS a really difficult thing to deal with. I am lucky have old lady next door who only wakes us up at 4am. Is really hard to know how to approach, are you on friendly terms? Could you invite her overf for a cup of tea and broach the subject then. I am guessing she isnt aware how much her noise is travelling.

SweetyDarling · 25/06/2007 11:25

What about bringing up a converation about bedtimes and saying something like "DS's bedtime is 7.30, do you think that's too late?"

paulaplumpbottom · 25/06/2007 11:26

Say something but don't be confrontational. I'm sure that they will be horrified that this has happened at put a stop to it

EmilyDavidson · 25/06/2007 11:30

I definitely wouldnt say anything. Not worth risking falling out with them especially as you will have a three year old yourself in the near future!

Honestly my neighbours gave me mice but we are still the best of friends , you have to expect ups and downs with neighbours.

I would be totally mortified if she had ever complained about my kids. Thats really personal ,dont do it.

alicet · 25/06/2007 14:09

Two options (other than say nothing) that I can see. Firstly if they are nice people you could just tell them in a pleasant way that the noise their children are making keeps your ds awake. I'm sure they would be mortified if they knew and would try and help you out. You don't need to then get into the bedtimes issue which is potentially more contentious.

Other than that you could send ds to stay with his granny one night and have really LOUD sex at 2am in the room next to their bedroom! This should show them how thin the walls are and might make them think twice about the noise their kids make. More amusing I think!!!

MEMsmum · 25/06/2007 20:36

We live in a terrace too - quiet man one side and students the other. Had no idea how much you could hear through the walls until a particular rowdy bunch of students moved in after we'd been here for four years. The shouting! the tantrums! the banging! the stomping! and that was just us - it's a miracle no one had phoned Social Services!! When a new lot of students move in each September and tell us that they'll try to keep the noise down, we now laugh and tell them we'll probably make more noise than they will and we'll try to keep the noise down come exam time!!

I'd wait until next door are being quiet and perform some shenanigins of your own - they might take the hint! We did !!

Original poster
sweetjane · 25/06/2007 20:53

Thanks guys, that's a good idea Freckle - I might try something like that and if they don't take the hint I will maybe try something more direct. Emily... pretty sure they gave us mice too actually!!

OP posts:
nightowl · 25/06/2007 20:55

if they are nice people then approach them (not sort of making a big deal) but perhaps the next time you chat, mention that you can hear them, ds has been waking up as its a little too loud for him at 11pm. that kind of thing.

dont go behind their back and contact the council, that's unfair and will only cause bad feeling. chances are they dont realise you can hear them.

cornsilk · 25/06/2007 21:01

My ds's are boisterous boys and my neighbour complained about the noise when he first moved in. It was awful. We tried keeping them quiet but it just made it worse. Ironically his daughter is VERY noisy, although she only stays with him a few days a week so he probably doesn't realise. We are now on good terms with him but we can't do anything more than we already are to keep our ds's quiet.

anniebear · 25/06/2007 21:38

If they are nice, I dont see any harm in just saying along the lines of

"could I just very politley ask you if you could keep the kids a bit quieter late at night, its just they are waking my ds up every night"

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