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

To despair of new neighbours' shrieking children?

340 replies

saraclara · 17/04/2021 19:08

It's been a glorious afternoon, but I've had to spend it indoors, and even with my doors closed I can hear them. I don't know how they can shriek for this long without having really sore throats. It's not ordinary play shouting, it's just pointless daft shrieking as far as I can tell. They've been out there for at least four hours. There was a break for about 20 minutes, then it started up again. I'm guessing from the tone of the shrieks that they're about 7-9 years old?

There's nothing I can do about it, is there? This is it for the spring and summer.

I could weep.

OP posts:
TheMoth · 17/04/2021 21:21

I grew up in a 1930s semi. Tiny gardens and houses crammed together. Lots of kids our age. Parents didn't let other kids in the garden. Generally we played in the street or the park round the corner. The only screaming I remember was if we had water fights in the summer. Def no screaming in the garden.

EmeraldShamrock · 17/04/2021 21:22

I personally love to hear DC playing, especially this year, the streets were bare and quiet last year.
I genuinely think people with grown up DC forget how DC are. I still live close to the street I grew up on, most neighbour's moan about the DC on the green when all their DC played there and weren't angelically behaved just because they want a quiet life now. Well tough it's the circle of life.

TheMoth · 17/04/2021 21:26

But some of us are capable of bringing up kids who don't impact on others' lives. There's playing... and There's screaming. Mine don't scream because at the first attempt, they were actively discouraged. My method is withering scorn, a reminder to said child that I know it's all fake and attention seeking, followed by withdrawal of any attention, but I'm sure people have their own methods.

LockdownCheeseToastie · 17/04/2021 21:28

So clear from the answers who are the decent people and who are the parents of the shriekers. Normal kids playing noise is fine, screaming and shrieking really really isn’t. Dd left brownies because of one girl who shrieked in a hall every two minutes for the full session. Not remotely necessary and shit parenting if allowed to continue.

BakedTattie · 17/04/2021 21:30

I think you might be my neighbour.

It’s sunny, the kids are playing outside and having fun. 🤷🏼‍♀️

lilyblue5 · 17/04/2021 21:30

@TheMoth love this! I’m yet to perfect the withered look. Oldest asked if I have something in my eye today - not really what I was going for.

BakedTattie · 17/04/2021 21:32

To all those righteous enough to say they don’t bring their kids up to impact of others lives., what’s your secret?

I hate noise and I am constantly telling mine to be quiet, bringing them in to calm down etc. I’m hardly ignoring it!

My kids are clearly feral. The wee arseholes 😂

SylHellais · 17/04/2021 21:33

But also, as this topic is raised every fucking year, you’d think there was some kind of MN approved response.

EmeraldShamrock · 17/04/2021 21:34

But some of us are capable of bringing up kids who don't impact on others' lives. That's a bit mean, not all DC are the same as mentioned by many parents of DC with sensory overload. My DD is quite as a mouse DS is like banshees on steroids. I don't let him out before 10am he is in at 6pm with breaks in throughout the day I'm not incapable he is what he is.

Mummytemping · 17/04/2021 21:35

@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland

I assure it almost certainly is ordinary play shrieking. Children have higher pitched voices than adults and squeal etc with excitement, its totally normal.

Unless you choose to live in the middle of nowhere, hearing children play outside on a lovely summer afternoon is pretty standard. Or would you rather they be indoors glued to the tv? They should be out playing with siblings/friends.

Totally agree.
Mintjulia · 17/04/2021 21:39

I'm with you bakedtattie

It's the first warm weekend, most children have been cooped up during lockdown, so they're energetic and excited to see their friends. They may be a bit high pitched but it's good to hear them play.

Original poster
saraclara · 17/04/2021 21:40

Of course it's great for kids to be out playing in the garden or with friends. I encouraged my kids to be out too. What I didn't let them do is shriek to the point that it was annoying for neighbours (or me)

Again, there is a multitude of options that lie between lolling on the sofa in front of the Tv or screens for five hours, and high decibel shrieking in the garden for five hours.

@Mummytemping again, you weren't in my garden this afternoon, so you can't "assure" me of anything either.

OP posts:
GreyhoundG1rl · 17/04/2021 21:43

Mummytemping again, you weren't in my garden this afternoon, so you can't "assure" me of anything either.
Dear God, the utter brass neck of someone trying to tell you what you heard and assure you it's perfectly normal.
Words fail me on this site, sometimes.

DoubleTweenQueen · 17/04/2021 21:45

Earplugs?

FOJN · 17/04/2021 21:47

agentnully

She took the post down, refused to apologise, officer said there was nothing they could do.

Sounds like the police didn't want to get involved in a neighbour argument but if her FB post implied that the neighbour was a paedophile then surely it meets the threshold for libel. People have wound up in court for less under the Malicious Communications Act. Hope the rest of the village were put straight about her disgusting behaviour.

Abracadabra12345 · 17/04/2021 21:51

@DingDongDenny

There are so many threads about noisy neighbours, kids screaming, parties, music playing all day. When did peace and quiet become unfashionable and people become so selflish
I know. And all you see are ads for even more things to make the garden / backyard into an outdoor room...
nexus63 · 17/04/2021 22:05

i live in a 4 high block of flats, when i moved in 20 years ago it was all middle aged couples and no children under 16, now it is all families with young children, all last summer it was constant shouting and screaming from the kids and parents sitting drinking, we asked our housing but nothing can be done about it, i have to keep my verada and windows closed....i know they need to play, and i do not mind, it is just the screaming.

bigbluebus · 17/04/2021 22:09

I had a summer of this last year from the family at the back of me. Their DD screeches for attention seeking the slightest thing. The father is one of those ineffectual parents who tells the DC in a big loud voice "don't do XYZ or I'll punish you with ABC - but he never does and in spite of announcing (in a big loud voice) that he "won't tell them again", he tells them at least 4 more times before he gives up and lets them carry on. Meanwhile, the DM rants at them in beyween playing loud popular music and singing along out of tune.

I'm hoping that this year the DCs have outgrown the screeching and that the DF will let them get on with playing without micro managing everything that they do with a running commentary in a big loud voice and that the DM will just STFU - but I'm not holding my breath!

Those who say it's normal noise - I disagree. I have a family of 4 children next door ranging from 3 - 14. They all play nicely together in the garden, having fun with normal volume levels. They are a joy to listen to. On the other side we have a 1 year old and a 12 year old. The 12 year old often has friends over (when restrictions allow) and even with the excitement of the large pool in the garden last Summer, their noise was acceptable, as it was not ear piercing screams.

agentnully · 17/04/2021 22:12

@FOJN

agentnully

She took the post down, refused to apologise, officer said there was nothing they could do.

Sounds like the police didn't want to get involved in a neighbour argument but if her FB post implied that the neighbour was a paedophile then surely it meets the threshold for libel. People have wound up in court for less under the Malicious Communications Act. Hope the rest of the village were put straight about her disgusting behaviour.

It didn't just imply, it was an all-out accusation.

He's a nice, quiet, gay church-going man in his late 50s. He volunteers and is very active in our community. He wouldn't dream of taking it further (his words).

Our village seems to be half and half made up of nice people who are actually involved in their kids' parenting and those who let them run feral. There's also a half and half acceptance of our gay neighbour and those who treat him as if he's from Mars.

He's too nice and just wants a quiet life. He also won't take it further as he knows he's up against some pretty nasty people. All her FB friends were, 'Aw, babes, that's awful. He should be locked up. We know someone who'll sort him out!' comments. Everyone decent was appalled.

I wish all my neighbours were as nice as him.

Hope that makes sense. It's Saturday night and I've treated myself to a cheering/fortifying drink (or three).

chaosrabbitland · 17/04/2021 22:14

your not unreasonable op , this would drive me nuts and iv got a 12 yr old dd , im the same , noise is fine , hearing children chattering ,laughing ,, but screaming and shrieking is a complete no for me , when dd and i are in the garden and we have put the pool up because its hot she does get excited , but im concious of my neighbours and although i let her get away with a couple of shreiks she does get reminded about our neighbours and the need to be considerate

Rainbowandscarlett · 17/04/2021 22:16

We had amazing neighbours-we never heard them
Then they moved
The family who moved in seem to live in their garden-I don’t have issues with that but by god the screaming
The kids start,the adults join in-getting louder as they get more pissed
All we hear is ‘daisy,daisy,daisy!’ Or ‘Riley,Riley,Riley’ All day long
Followed by screams then the parents seem to join in by screaming at them-followed by the kids getting louder
They they seem to go in about half ten and stop parenting
The eldest just seems to spend all night screaming at his Xbox
Not good when your trying to get an early night as your up early for work and it’s that hot you can’t sleep without a window open but again can’t sleep as your being kept up by a 10 year old howling at a screen
And if we dare step out in our garden they are climbing the fence,hanging over it staring at us/demanding to know what we’re doing/kicking balls over and getting sassy about dropping everything to sling it back over/staring through the gaps in the fence
The parents ignore all this-they’ve just had a baby so it seems to be their new toy to play with
We paid a lot of money to buy our house and we have every right to use our garden without being screamed at-the parents should be teaching them not to unless they are in danger
I taught mine not to scream so why do their rights trump ours?
They will not melt if they are taught to shut up

DuffyFlucks · 17/04/2021 22:17

Maybe once they've been there a while you can suss out the parents, it might be ok to say something.

We were once asked to be quiet on a campsite. It was 6am in the morning and my children were talking loudly and i hadn't realised how loud, was used to tuning it out. I was very very embarrassed, as were my children, and we apologised.

Youseethethingis · 17/04/2021 22:20

Oh for gods sake
OP IS NOT UPSET BY CHILDREN PLAYING IN THEIR GARDENS
🙄

FeedMeLotsOfCake · 17/04/2021 22:50

Some families are rough families. Mind, most people who live next to them and complain about them are also rough - they just don't realise it.

Or have they moved in next door to your 5 bed detached?

GreyhoundG1rl · 17/04/2021 22:52

What a pointless post.