Kids actually screaming

[NarniaOrBust]

so I live in quite a built up, densely populated area. There are sigles, couples and families. And until this year the kids have been fine. Noisy at times but the usual. But this year? This year they are out in the streets around the block shouting and screaming and no parent is parenting. I think it’s about the kids being together and therefore looking out for each other rather than absolutely lax parenting.

even so. I’m a neighbour. There are many other neighbours. Yet we’re forced to hear these kids literally scream and shout on the streets around our flats until the sun goes down.

i get they need to play but this screaming shit is new. And when do we get our right to peace?

• [Title edited by MNHQ to correct typo]

I just posted about being the parent of noisy kids. Unless it’s completely over the top screaming at the top of their lungs you just have to deal with it.

It was supposed to say kids not Clarence ffs!

Why? They do scream at the top of their lungs. Why does this override other people’s need for some quiet? I’m talking actual fucking screaming.

That’s not ok. I’m not sure what you can do about it though. Maybe drive up and down the street at 5 playing ice cream truck music loudly. After a few days of over tired kids the parents might do something.

Your title made me think of Silence of the Lambs, but that's Clarice not Clarence isn't it?

Well, if I had a time machine I'd apologise! My friends and I definitely went through a phase, maybe aged about 10, when screaming was the most fun thing ever. We screamed to each other, at each other, about each other and had screaming competitions.

As an adult I've become very good at distinguishing the scream of an excited pre-teen from that of a scared woman. I'd hate to get my well-intentioned interference wrong!

And a secret: no matter your age, there is no better stress-reliever than finding a very noisy place and screaming there, at the top of your lungs! No motorway bridges or storm-whipped seas where I live now, and I genuinely feel the lack.
Maybe I should find a park full of teenage girls 😆

Why? They do scream at the top of their lungs. Why does this override other people’s need for some quiet? I’m talking actual fucking screaming.

Our neighbours two little girls scream all the time when they are in the garden. It is really loud and unpleasant, like a high pitched drill. Fortunately (for us) they are several gardens away, but their NDN's must be tearing their hair out. At least it is during day time and not constant unlike OP's. It amazes me that their parents never come out and ask them to stop it.

Damn, and here I was hoping for a thread on the death of George,Duke of Clarence! 😆

It does sound very Silence of the Lambs-y. If only they’d shut the fuck up!

I was thinking of Clarence the angel in It’s a Wonderful Life. And “fu— it must be really bad for lovely Clarence to get upset”.

It’s not okay, but I don’t know what you can do…

Open the window and yell “Shut it, Clarence!”

Maybe that’s the vibe you need to create at your house. Scare them into silence.

But have you thought of a letter box drop of polite shut up letters?

I got excited that Clarence the cartoon had returned to Netflix 😂 how old are the kids, much traffic coming in etc? I have kids playing in my street but I can't relax either

I thought of Clarence the cross-eyed lion of Daktari fame, though he must be long gone.

I get what you mean about the screaming. A neighbour, all three of whose children shrieked like banshees, egged on by their mother who did the same, have upped sticks. The surrounding neighbours, some of whom have small children who manage not to do this and still have fun, are ecstatic.

I live right next to a playground and can attest in every group there is at least one screamer. And I think I'm the only parent in town who tells my kids not to scream. Yeah be loud and get your energy out, but the blood curling screams are OTT and I don't know how parents can hear that and not react! It's a fact of life I guess.

Could you go out there and very nicely explain to the children that the screaming is getting a bit much for you and and ask them nicely if they could please stop?

Good communication can go a long way. It might not have occurred to them or their parents that it is bothering you.

Clarence, do you still hear the screaming of the lambs?

Sorry, couldn’t resist, OP. 😄

To be honest when I was a kid sometimes adults in the community would kindly let us know if our behaviour was not ok and it made a positive impact. Because sometimes we didn’t take our parents seriously but if another adult spoke to us we would be thinking hmm it’s not just our parents being unfair maybe we should take this seriously and modify our behaviour.

There’s a big difference between a stranger coming out and angrily yelling over a stranger that maturely, respectfully and calmly communicates with children.

Children look up to adults so if you approach them respectfully and you are reasonable they will most likely respond respectfully.

I was thinking Clarence the lion too and wondered if they were roaring rather than screaming. Either way bloody annoying. Go and tell them to shhhh.

I have screamers in my area too. Drives me absolutely batshit!!! They play on the green in front of my house. Despite having a park at the end of the street, and one two streets away. Go and scream there you noisy little*