Neighbours homeschooled kids play out ALL day. AIBU?

[EdwinaMonsoon]

Long time lurker, first time poster. Looking for a bit of advice if possible.

We live in terraced housing in a family area, so since Summer holidays started most of our neighbours kids have been out playing in their gardens during the day, which is absolutely fine, it's Summer holidays so that's to be expected. But even when the new term starts next week, the children who live next door to us will STILL be playing out.

The family moved here in March(?), they have 2 children who I assumed weren't old enough for school yet, but in a recent chat with the parents we found out they are, in fact, homeschooled.

They're out in the garden from about 10am-8pm every single day. They're not the type of children who scream and shriek, which I appreciate, but it's the constant chattering/playing noises for 10 hours every day, and not having a moments peace in my own garden (or when my windows are open, for that matter!). They have breaks in-between, which I assume is for food, but then come straight back out again. This has been ongoing since the day they moved in.

It's the fact that this is going to be an all-year round thing, not just school breaks/holidays that's bothering me. I understand they are entitled to use their garden as they please, but aren't we (and the rest of our neighbours) entitled to some peace every now and then?

We're not particularly familiar with the parents, we've only chatted with them in passing a handful of times, so my husband and I haven't raised this with them. And we don't know if this is even an issue we're entitled to raise.

If we did mention this to them, what could we say without coming across as offensive to their kids?

Surely they're not going to be outside past 4pm in the dead of winter?

Sorry op but they can use their garden as much as they like. That is the deal with living on streets with gardens.
I can't imagine they will be out in it all winter

You say you didn't realise they were school age so they must be very young

Swap you for my screams shrieks crying schooled neighbours. They are awful.

Why wouldn’t they be every bit as entitled to enjoy their house and garden as you are? If they don’t scream and shriek, what exactly is the problem? Presumably they aren’t keeping you up past your bedtime?

You are being very unreasonable. They are entitled to use their garden as much as they like.

Yab a bit - if they are not ‘loud’ I’m afraid there really is nothing you can do - except thank your lucky stars they are not loud!

I explained the problem. The chattering/playing noises non-stop for 10 hours a day, it's exasperating. I'm fully aware they're allowed to enjoy their garden, but I feel like I can't enjoy MY garden anymore.

I'm interested to hear exactly what you'd say to the parents if you did complain

It’s their property 🤷‍♀️. No, your not entitled to breaks from them using their own yard.

Then you need to move somewhere with no neighbours I'm afraid.

I don’t think you can complain about then using their garden especially as you said they’re not particularly screamers or anything.

I understand your frustration but I think it’s something you’ll have to put up with.

I certainly wouldn’t listen to someone asking me to stop my reasonably volumed children out of their garden.

Honestly too bad.
They aren’t making any antisocial noise.
If you live close enough that you can hear reasonable chattering then you just have to get over it. I’m sure you make noise that annoys them but they aren’t complaining.

well stating the obvious if they are out there playing all day when is the schooling bit taking place ? surely there needs to be some sort of input to satisfy the authorities that it is meeting their educational needs.
And yes of course children learn through play etc but presumably as they get older they will require more structured learning at times so hopefully you will find it settles down a bit.

ps get noise cancelling headphones and ear plugs. They are a lifesaver if you are sensitive to noise.

I don't understand what the problem
Is? Do you expect silence to be able to enjoy your garden?

If so, that's just not realistic. There will always be some sort of noise. Much better kids getting outside to play than being stuck indoors all day.

This is also what I was wondering. I wonder if a call to the council about the situation might help?

The council will not be interested. There is no requirement for children to be forced to sit at a desk and learn poetry and times tables by rote. You are a nightmare neighbour.

We home schooled for a while. Playing outside is a completely valid way of learning, especially for young children and the local education team will have no issue with it at all.

They are entitled to make noise in their garden, and you have no entitlement whatsoever to silence.

hope that helps.

They're not out until around 10am so could easily be doing schoolwork from 7/8am to 10am then at least some of the breaks that OP presumes are for food could be for schoolwork, say another hour there. That's 3-4hrs They might do some on in the evening when they come inside or on weekends too.

A school day for under 11s is only 6hrs, give or take. By the time you deduct lunchtime, playtime, lining up time, coats on/off time, getting changed time, assembly, setting up, tidying away, golden time, carpet time, toilet breaks, register time, chatty-chat time, and all the general faffing about time (multiplied by 30 children) you could quite easily fit all of the actual educating into 3-4hrs.

What are going to say -

please don't chatter in the garden?

WOW, calling the council? That's nuts. Unschooling is a totally valid approach to homeschool and basically involves self-directed play all day. So, enjoy.

No you cannot call the council - you aren't arsed about their schooling so don't pretend you are.

They aren't making anti social noise, they are out and in at perfectly acceptable hours.
They are more than entitled to continue. The fact you can't deal with chatting coming from the garden is your problem. Either move somewhere with no neighbours, or get a grip.

It won't.

The local home ed officer can ask for an annual report. Assuming the children are old enough.

They aren't going to come round and mediate your neighbour dispute.

Have you actually started this thread so you can justify to yourself that calling the council on a family who are behaving within the bounds of the law is a reasonable course of action? Because that's how you're coming across and it's definitely unreasonable of you.

How is it 'non stop' if they go in for breaks/food?

Don't report them to the council about their home schooling, that's just petty