AIBU to ask neighbours to keep kids off trampoline in working hours?

[PineappleMojito]

Not really for me, for my DP who is WFH. I don’t WFH so this doesn’t impact but he is very bothered by it.

Next door recently bought a trampoline for their two kids. When they go on it, they’re really noisy - they scream and shout a lot, I’ve heard them on the weekends when I’m home and it is loud. DP is hearing impaired, he’s on work Zoom calls during the day and the noise is making it difficult to do his calls. One is a pre schooler and the other we think might be home at the moment because school bubble has burst. Obviously he is used to general neighbour noise during day, but he finds the screaming and shouting difficult as it’s right next to our fence. He’s using noise cancelling headphones for calls, but even with those it’s getting through and making it hard for him to concentrate and hear what’s being said.

Would he BU to ask them if they could keep the kids off the trampoline during his work hours or confine it to lunch time during the week? He has an hour break where he’d be fine with them using it, he normally goes out to walk the dog. They’re very nice neighbours and we’ve never had any issues, but he’s afraid to rock the boat.

Christ, the summer holidays are going to be fun! Of course it’s unreasonable, haven’t we made kids suffer enough? Maybe it’s time he went back to the office.

Blimey, I said the OP would be unreasonable to ask but I'd hope that, in reality, parents wouldn't let screaming go on for hours on end.

I can imagine the it's ok to make lots of noise on your property responses would be a bit different if the subject was parties and/or dogs barking.

I can imagine the it's ok to make lots of noise on your property responses would be a bit different if the subject was parties and/or dogs barking.

Actually I think the responses would have been different if the OP’s opening gambit wasn’t about requesting a trampoline ban during working hours.

No way can you expect them to stop going on the trampoline! Your husband just needs to find ways around it like maybe moving to a different room at the front of the house.

It would be totally bonkers to ask kids not to jump on the trampoline during your dh’s work hours, it’s summer holidays soon and I’m sure the trampoline has been bought to keep them busy so their parents can possibly work? We have noisy kids on our road, it does get annoying but it’s nice to see they are actually outside rather than sitting on iPads and consoles. My neighbours kids build dens and play with their dolls on the green outside my house, they can be a it noisy but it’s lovely to see them playing the sort of games I used to play and building things out of tree branches or kicking leaves around rather than being glued to screens.

But hey - clearly we should just be cool with the kids doing whatever they like all day every day and screw everyone else, right

Well, yeah, kind of.

They're not graffitiing or mugging pensioners. They're kids, playing on a trampoline in their own garden, during the daytime. A time when there could be any number of loud noises going on (I WFH too, so I do sympathise).
If it's that bad, he needs to change rooms. It's hardly a totally 'out there' suggestion is it

@PineappleMojito

Not really for me, for my DP who is WFH. I don’t WFH so this doesn’t impact but he is very bothered by it.

Next door recently bought a trampoline for their two kids. When they go on it, they’re really noisy - they scream and shout a lot, I’ve heard them on the weekends when I’m home and it is loud. DP is hearing impaired, he’s on work Zoom calls during the day and the noise is making it difficult to do his calls. One is a pre schooler and the other we think might be home at the moment because school bubble has burst. Obviously he is used to general neighbour noise during day, but he finds the screaming and shouting difficult as it’s right next to our fence. He’s using noise cancelling headphones for calls, but even with those it’s getting through and making it hard for him to concentrate and hear what’s being said.

Would he BU to ask them if they could keep the kids off the trampoline during his work hours or confine it to lunch time during the week? He has an hour break where he’d be fine with them using it, he normally goes out to walk the dog. They’re very nice neighbours and we’ve never had any issues, but he’s afraid to rock the boat.

unfortunately its a residential area and not a work area. children playing and shrieking is part and parcel of a neighbourhood. This is one of the big problems with wfh - you cannot expect everyone to behave as if its a quiet space. Its a shame he cant go in and use the office space. Are there specific time period where quiet would be very helpful. like an hour.... you could ask if the children could be quiet then? Hire them to be quiet for that hour - a reward for being quiet. other than that he will have to find somewhere else or really good noise cancelling headphones.

@ScreamingBeans

Are you MENTAL?

Of course you're being unreasonable.

You are unreasonable to use the word “mental” especially considering my partner does have a disability. Offensive AF.

But hey - clearly we should just be cool with the kids doing whatever they like all day every day and screw everyone else, right

But that's not what's happening. The kids are playing outdoors. Every parent with school age children at home is preparing for 6 weeks of children at home instead of at school, and many of us are WFH and will have to deal with the noise of our own children. Shouting and screaming while playing outside is just something young children do. It's not "doing whatever they like" in the sense that they are being left to be bad. It's literally just normal play.

I do sympathise, I WFH with 2 pre school age children in the house, but honestly I think the bottom line is the onus is on your DH and his employer. Especially given the fact that the scenario could so easily play out that even if you did ask, they may well completely ignore you and consider you unreasonable anyway. So better to control what you can.

You are being unneighbourly.
We had neighbours like you when the kids were little and no-one liked those neighbours unsurprisingly.
Your house is a residential property and it is unreasonable to expect it to be like an office.

Now that people are being encouraged to go back to work -that’s your answer.

I don't like excessive noise at any time. It' very rudd and inconsiderate. But you cannot expect to enforce silence during office hours on other people if you work from home.

You most certainly cannot ask them not to go on their trampoline. I would understand if they were on it very early or very late at night. It's not the children's fault that your husband is wfh.

Yes I would ask, I don't think it's unreasonable to ask kids not to shriek and scream in gardens, esp as you partner is hearing impaired

Christ. I was fucked off when my own DH tried to turn the home into an office. This is on another level. Office space has been respected for years - trampolines have not been set up in reception, no vacuuming or loud teenagers playing music. Respect home space. WFH does not mean turning the home into an office or trying to police neighbours.

Did your DP work from an office before lockdown ? If so then I think it's time he went back 🤷‍♀️

I can’t believe all these replies. Yes children should have fun in their own gardens but I brought mine up to consider other people’s feelings from a young age.

Children can play and have fun without screaming and shrieking. You can’t always stop them doing it but you shouldn’t ignore it either!

But hey - clearly we should just be cool with the kids doing whatever they like all day every day and screw everyone else, right.

Ah, I can see why this is feeling quite split right now. You've just told us about the kids being kids in the garden and seemingly making the reasonable sort of noise kids make. If the kids are really 'doing what they like all day' and screwing everyone else, it might be helpful to tell us how they are doing that.

@TeddingtonTrashbag

You are being unneighbourly. We had neighbours like you when the kids were little and no-one liked those neighbours unsurprisingly. Your house is a residential property and it is unreasonable to expect it to be like an office.

“Neighbours like you” FFS. We’ve never said anything ever about kid noise since we’ve lived here, ever. And nowhere have I suggested DP expects the same environment as an office, or silence.

@Feelingmardy

But hey - clearly we should just be cool with the kids doing whatever they like all day every day and screw everyone else, right.

Ah, I can see why this is feeling quite split right now. You've just told us about the kids being kids in the garden and seemingly making the reasonable sort of noise kids make. If the kids are really 'doing what they like all day' and screwing everyone else, it might be helpful to tell us how they are doing that.

It depends whether you consider that amount of loud, high pitched shrieking to be “the reasonable amount of noise kids make”.

I probably sound about a hundred years old but it looks like basic manners and consideration have gone out the window. I would be mortified if my children were making so much noise they were disturbing people trying to work.

And I disagree they can do what they like in their own garden. Jesus.

Wow 21 pages on this! I am with most of the other comments OP. I have been moaning myself this afternoon because of my neighbour's screamy daughter (no trampoline) but she can't play without screaming. You're not unreasonable at all to find the noise annoying.

But I am finding it difficult to believe that it is so disturbing with windows closed and headphones on. Once I close my office windows, it's not very noisy and I am in a garden office, not in the house.

@GlutenFreeGingerCake

Sorry but you can't ask this, the only thing that would be reasonable is to ask them not to be on it too early or late at night. I'd look at more noise cancelling measures.

This is strange logic.

Why is it OK to ask them not to be on it too early or late at night?

Because they are disturbing people?

But they're disturbing someone during the day, someone who is hearing impaired and trying to work.

Going against the tide here and saying you aren't being unreasonable to have a conversation with the neighbour about it, and perhaps find a way to work around where they could be on it for an hour or two at a time and then stop?

Neighbourhood is about people living together and compromising for one another and yes, that includes kids and it is good to teach kids to be considerate as well.

They need to be allowed to do it, obviously, but it could be certain times of day or within certain limits. That would be reasonable.

Yabvu he should work in the front bedroom

@strawberrydonuts

It’s not strange logic at all.

Hence one if the reasons pubs have licenses and have to close at a certain time in the evening for example - to restrict noise nuisance late at night.

To ask for quiet early in the morning and late at night is very different to asking during the day - workmen drilling, road works, traffic noise, aeroplanes etc etc. All operate during the day and cease over night