Is 8am on a su day an acceptable time to take your kids to a play park?

[DrinkingAllTheGin]

There is a play park in the middle of our housing estate. It is very very close to a lot of houses and flats. And particularly close to my flat. About 2 meters from my bedroom window.

At 7.50 this morning a dad came out with his 3 children and started playing with a basket ball and letting them run up the slide. General playing noise.

I don't mind the noise the rest of the day, I chose this flat after all, but 8am is too early. Right?

This woke me up and I assumed it was about 10.
DH is on his first day off in 10 days. Thankfully he could sleep through a small bomb and hasn't woken up.

AIBU to say 8am is inside play time?

Oh and I can't go out to say something. I look like a swamp monster before I shower.

It’s really difficult with young children in that if they are incredibly early risers (say before 6am), the dad is trying to stop them from running around in their home and making inconsiderate noise to his neighbours as well. If he waited nearly 2 hours and they were kicking off inside screaming, I can understand his decision to take them out. After all, he’s trying to please a lot of people here and it sounds impossible. The basketball is a step too far IMO due to the early morning.

It doesn't matter how long he's been up with the kids for - that's not everyone else's problem!

It's considerate to wait a while before making noise in the morning, especially a Sunday. Having kids doesn't magically exempt you from that because you've been up a while.

@ChunkyWallabe I'll do nothing. I'm just using MN as a place to vent. I won't be asking them to keep it down or anything. (Not only because they have gone now)

Just curious on opinions. Recently there was a thread about playing in your own garden and 8am was considered by many to be too early. Why is this small play area different? It is close to more houses.

it sounds too early imo

Yes it's fine.

You're lucky you haven't got teenagers hanging around on it in the evenings - this is why I would never live near a park.

YABU to buy a flat 2m from a park if you are a light sleeper and affected by noise.

YABU. You say that's a time for inside playing but I doubt you'd say the same if they were living in the flat above you.

Yep 8am is about lunchtime for some families with toddlers! I am afraid it’s one of the downsides of living next to a park. Just be glad you can go back to bed now!

If you'd have told me to come back later, I'd have laughed at you. You chose to live next to a park. Kids are allowed to use the park at any time. 8am is not particularly early.

And it's the first time in 5 years and you feel the need to complain?! Be grateful it hasn't happened multiple times before.

I don’t think playing in your own garden at 8am
is unreasonable- shouting screaming loud music etc at any time is unreasonable.
a park is a public space that they open from 6am in the Summer time- if you can walk a dog that early it’s fine for kids to play.

I wouldn't be bothered from 6am personally, just part of living near a park. I wouldn't use one in a residential area myself until 8am with a small child though, just to be considerate. Would you use a park at say 5am in summer then?

Living next to a park would be a hard no for me OP. There are 2 parks on our estate and I definitely wouldn't buy a house next to them. But I'm with you. It's about consideration for others. There are loads of scenarios where it helps keep the peace, especially on estates where people live in close proximity.

If you'd have told me to come back later, I'd have laughed at you. ditto!
I miss the days when listening to children play outside from dawn till dusk in the summer time was normal. Happy days. Now they are all stuck in front of screens.

Just curious on opinions. Recently there was a thread about playing in your own garden and 8am was considered by many to be too early. Why is this small play area different? It is close to more houses.
I think on that thread some people were saying that children should go to the park instead. I do think it's just part if living near a park, like you'd expect late evening noise living near a pub.

I think the confusion is park vs playground. If you live next to a park it's part and parcel. But it sounds like it's a residential playground is it? As opposed to a gated park. Because if you'd done the thread without the word park I think you'd have different answers. I think 8am is too early to bring kids to a playground in a residential area but I think once a park is open it's fair game.

9am is my ‘outdoor’ playtime limit for my own DC, 8am is too early and rude. But then it’s a public park so if you live near one you’re going to get noise early sometimes, that’s life.

Not too early at all imo. When my baby is up super early we are sometimes at the park by 7am.
It’s a public place.
The parks here are locked at night so if they are open and unlocked they are fair game.

Just curious on opinions. Recently there was a thread about playing in your own garden and 8am was considered by many to be too early. Why is this small play area different? It is close to more houses. I probably said let kids be kids on that post too. As long as there is no screaming, then it's fine.

No basketball hoop.

And yes I know I picked this flat, from the 2 on the market I could afford. But that's another matter.

I did once get woken at 3am by teenagers on the roundabout going WoooooWoooo as they span.
Did ask them to go home.

And in my heart I know I can't say anything for exactly the reasons above.

I would like to think I wouldn't complain about a music venue and church bells, I have lived near both before.

This is a very weird response to OP as usually if you suggest going into the garden before 9am on a weekend you are the worst human being alive.

A park in the middle of a residential estate is effectively the same as going into the garden before 9am. Unacceptable in my view, I had years of my children getting up at 4/5 and I never took then outside or to the park before 9 because its not acceptable to wake everyone else up just because I'm up (and miserable).

I hear you on the early morning noise!

Im presently sandwiched between 2 families with v young kids. Small terraced.

Family A let their kids out at 0615 on Easter Sunday to see if the Easter bunny had been. Cue a lot of noise and excitement. Then another hour of them being kept out in the garden to work off the sugar high.

Family B have just moved in and use their garden to put their tantrumming kids into when they hit full meltdown. It was 0545 yesterday morning.

I get it. It’s hard with kids. When you get older like me, you forget the early years… but good job I’m renting and due to move.

This!

You can't win on here. If you let your little ones run around playing in the house too early you're in the wrong as the neighbours are being disturbed. If you take them to a play park and use it for its intended use (for kids to run around and play), you're in the wrong because .... well, the neighbours are being disturbed. 🙄

YABU. It's a play park and it's what it's for. As others have said, the Dad has probably been awake with them since 5am! 3 hours later hes struggling for ideas to entertain them, so he takes them out. It's normal. It's fine.

I get it's annoying and you are justified to grumble to yourself but not unacceptable. I think it would be fine in your own garden too.

It’s a little thoughtless given how close the park is to houses…..just an hour later would be more reasonable. However there might be a reason they are out so early and it’s not a massive deal. I certainly wouldn’t say anything. I’d prefer the noise of children playing over noises like a motorbike starting up.

the basket ball use could have easily been avoided. That’s an oddly peircing sound.

You bought a flat next to a children’s play park and then complained it’s next to a children’s play park 🤷🏼‍♀️ What did you expect? YABU