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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think 8.30am is an acceptable time for a child to play in the garden?

422 replies

Theresamagicalplace · 07/05/2022 08:08

The tiny terrorist is on one this morning and I said to my partner it's fine we can get him out in garden in 20 mins or so to burn off the excess energy. He looked at me like I had two heads and told me anything before 10 or 10.30 on a weekend was unacceptable and would make us those neighbours. For context we have 2 attached neighbours both with babies or young children themselves and ours is only a toddler so plays relatively quietly (obviously not silently though). So aibu, am I accidentally the neighbour from hell?

OP posts:
Creameggs223 · 08/05/2022 19:02

8 30 is absolutely fine unless child is running round screaming, how ridiculous children aren't allowed to ay quietly in there garden.

WTAFhappened123 · 08/05/2022 19:06

YABU I wouldn’t want to hear a screaming kid at 8.30am. I think sometimes parents forget that not everyone enjoys their child’s noise. We had a young girl next door who screamed at the top of her lungs for long periods and her parents would sit inside with windows and doors shut. Children having some fun fair enough, children screaming and shouting - no thanks

GlitterSparkley · 08/05/2022 19:08

I wouldn’t have any issue with this at all. But I’m a morning person and am awake at 6am every morning anyway. Providing he isn’t screaming and shouting, I don’t see the problem with 8.30z

Jjones8 · 08/05/2022 19:12

Yes as long as not screaming and shouting….! Absolutely fine.

MRSsqueak · 08/05/2022 19:16

i'd say 10:30. i have a lie in on saturday DH has a lie in on sundays.... i would not be worried about upsetting my neighbours tho since they think its ok to use their reallllly noisy jetwash at 7:45 on a saturday morning. what goes around comes around. have also noticed their bbq is up gainst my garden fence nearest my livingroom window..... if they light it there i will be doing the same to show them how unacceptable it is

Bentley123 · 08/05/2022 19:16

We were in the garden this morning at 8:30…stopped them banging on things(!) and put the noisy ride on car inside. Felt a little bad but we’d already been up two hours and they were desperate to get in garden. I’m not sure if it’s unreasonable or not really, it’s not like they were screaming.

Daffiy · 08/05/2022 19:21

As long as it wasn’t 7am I wouldn’t be bothered.
But I’m not bothered by noise like DIY, kids etc only uncontrolled barking dogs which seem to be everywhere these days.

User643626363 · 08/05/2022 19:23

I don't let mine out that early but they are loud so that's why. I have no issue with other kids out playing that early as we are always up at the crack of dawn anyway 😅

my neighbours toddler was out about that time this morning! I have no issue!

user1469095927 · 08/05/2022 19:24

DappledShade · 07/05/2022 08:13

I think 8:30 is absolutely fair enough.

Totally agree, especially when the neighbours a few doors up regularly have parties until after mid-night at weekends.

Bettyboopawoop · 08/05/2022 19:26

Not an ounce of respect for your neighbours I'm just glad I don't live next door to you. Not many seem to have an ounce of common decency these days.

Pebble55 · 08/05/2022 19:41

8:30? Way too late! I'd have the toddler out there at 7am. Stuff the neighbours

worraliberty · 08/05/2022 19:42

Mum198000 · 07/05/2022 08:09

Nobody with young children is asleep at 8:30!

That's not true at all.

Sunday was my morning to lie-in while DH got up with the kids.

MikeWozniaksMohawk · 08/05/2022 19:44

Not before 9. Our neighbours complained that our Tesco delivery was turning up at 8.30 on weekend mornings.

danigrace · 08/05/2022 19:45

Properly shocked by a lot of these comments.
I think some people need to either invest in a detached house in the open country or failing that a good set of comfy earplugs (my husband swears by them for his day off lie in!).
We have neighbours with kids of all ages and as long as noise isn't negative (arguing or fighting adults for example) we don't get upset about it - let people freely live their lives and that includes children.
How sad that a innocent fun seeking little one can't play in the fresh air in their own garden in the morning for their parents fear of pissing off a local grump.

Grrrrdarling · 08/05/2022 19:45

Theresamagicalplace · 07/05/2022 08:08

The tiny terrorist is on one this morning and I said to my partner it's fine we can get him out in garden in 20 mins or so to burn off the excess energy. He looked at me like I had two heads and told me anything before 10 or 10.30 on a weekend was unacceptable and would make us those neighbours. For context we have 2 attached neighbours both with babies or young children themselves and ours is only a toddler so plays relatively quietly (obviously not silently though). So aibu, am I accidentally the neighbour from hell?

Anyone living next door to kids should expect noise of some sort at any time of the day & night.
If you need to chuck kiddo in YOUR garden at 8.30am do it.
I live next to a park & it annoys me so much when people complain about noise form kids there. It is a kids park what did you expect you absolute numpty.
If they don’t like it they can move or get some ear plugs.

springisaroundthecorner · 08/05/2022 19:49

It's fine. Adults make noise in the evenings with barbeques and garden tools so why should a child not be able to play out on a Sunday morning?

MarmaRell78 · 08/05/2022 19:56

This is eye opening! 8.30 sounds completely normal to me, live in the countryside if you don't like noise or just get some ear plugs. It's a pretty simple fix. These people 🙄 I am in shock!

ThistleTits · 08/05/2022 19:57

@Theresamagicalplace have to agree with your husband, I done after 10.30 am when mine were young.
You do realise noise travels and goes waaay past your adjacent neighbours.

DanceItOut · 08/05/2022 20:05

I would let mine out to play before 9am HOWEVER if not for quiet almost silent playing. If they made noise that could be overheard they would be back indoors until after 9am. This also applies to play time in the evenings on school nights so that my kids aren’t making it harder for other parents to put their monsters to bed.

Longleggedgiraffe · 08/05/2022 20:05

I've lived in the country and thought nothing of my children going out to play at 7 am. By 8:30 they'd be looking for their second breakfast. Having said that, as mot everyone are early birds so for consideration for the neighbours I'd say 9. On the weekends.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 08/05/2022 20:07

I know my husband and I are a bit odd in being very early risers at the weekend, but I'm sure we're not alone in this. I wouldn't be bothered in the slightest by hearing a toddler playing in the garden early on a Sunday. I'd be delighted to think they're doing something active in the fresh air rather than sitting in front of a screen indoors.

I volunteer at Junior parkrun fairly often. It starts at 9am on a Sunday in the middle of our local park. There are lots of people out and about there at that time for all sorts of reasons.

There have occasionally been complaints from people living on the fringe of the park about the parkrun marshals loudly encouraging the children within (maybe) 100m of people's houses. The one that particularly amused me was a woman who said the old people who live near the park would be disturbed. In my experience (a) many old people are awake extremely early anyway and (b) a great many old people have hearing loss so won't hear noise from the park.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 08/05/2022 20:09

Bettyboopawoop · 08/05/2022 19:26

Not an ounce of respect for your neighbours I'm just glad I don't live next door to you. Not many seem to have an ounce of common decency these days.

Get a grip.

Riverlee · 08/05/2022 20:13

I think 8.30am would be fine, unless they were shrieking and screaming.

Hawkins001 · 08/05/2022 20:17

I would suggest earlier, but to keep the peace around 9am

AJWalker2016 · 08/05/2022 20:19

My neighbours seem to think their kids kicking footballs off our adjoined fence 7am is perfectly fine so 🤷‍♀️

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