To let my kids be loud outside?

[Imtheterribleneighbour]

When my kids were babies the house next door was sold. The new owners were noisy, music on outside, car doors slamming at 2 in the morning, nothing serious just annoying. I asked them a couple of times if the could be considerate but it made no difference.

Now they have a baby and my kids play outside. They aren’t too bad, a little bit of shouting but the bouncing of a basketball is now the soundtrack to my life. I had a note a few weeks ago asking to limit the kids outside but ignored it. The neighbour has just been around and asked if my kids could stop bouncing the ball in the yard. I said as I already limit when they can be outside (it’s 830 - 845 in the morning and 330 -730 in the afternoon during the week and 930 - 800 on weekends) it’s not constantly happening in those times but limited to. I have said no you just have to live with it. He got upset as it’s annoying and wakes the baby. I said I understand as we had the same issue with them when the kids were little, but they will just have to live with it like we did.
Am I being unreasonable?

Got to be honest, given how they behaved when you asked for the same level of courtesy, I would think fuck them and just carry on regardless. What goes around comes around right?!?

Sorry, but the constantly bouncing ball for hours a day would completely do my head in. It's a deal breaker for me, I think it would be for many really 😑
Can't you take them to a local park or similar to let off steam elsewhere?

OP let your kids play! They are not outside non stop nor are you doing it to ‘get back’ at neighbors. How is it unreasonable to let 2 kids play on their own garden a few hours a week with a basketball!!
Yes bouncing noises can be annoying but there are a hundred more annoying noises out there than a couple of small kids playing basketball together. Mine and my neighbors kids are often out with balls and eventually you time it out - I tend to be more glad they are outside having fun doing something constructive.
I think the hours you let them play between are super reasonable and should work well - it’s not late and kids need to be able to play.

previous neighbor history has no bearing on it my thoughts - only that the kids should be able to play in their garden together with a ball in these reasonable times you’ve set

I'm genuinely surprised by the amount of people saying you should further limit the time your kids spend outside. They're not screaming. Playing basketball in their own garden within day time hours is perfectly reasonable.

Just thread carefully. Your children will grow out of this, just as their child will start doing it. You won’t be in any position to complain and if you do, they’ll simply ignore you and their child might be worse or actively encouraged

Just remember in a few years their kid(s) will be playing outside, if you dont mind being deafened then, let your kids be noisy now, but they wont be accommodating you if you are letting uour kids keep their baby awake!

You're "that parent" clearly...

Once @Imtheterribleneighbour OP my neighbour got a letter telling her her children weren’t allowed to play on the road outside her house for safety reasons and cos someone complained

she lived at a dead end. No traffic
and it was also gated…..so not sure how unsafe that was!
they also played out maybe 30 mins once a week?!?! Can I just say they ended up finding out which neighbour said it as the others were sooooo horrified they all sent letters in (except one) and lo and behold it was my friends closet neighbour. They’d even drive her to her wedding! And she went and did that. Petty. Petty

so trust me. Let your kids play out!

Let your kids enjoy their garden! The neighbours were not considerate why should you be? If you knew when the baby was napping then you might be able to accommodate but your kids should be able to enjoy their own garden!

I agree. On my street, when mine were young (and most of the street had children), hearing the bouncing of a basketball was so normal, we all just blocked it out. Between that and the noise of the "Big Wheels" clackety-clack and noise from plastic versus cement, one learned to block everything out except screams of fear, hurt or anger. Kids=commotion, noise and fun.

Well I am the quiet neighbour who doesn’t have parties etc but fwiw I think YANBU.

I think kids playing with a ball is just ordinary children having fun outside noise, and it’s a shame so many are intolerant of that nowadays.

It’s definitely good for them to be playing outside and getting fresh air so if they’re not breaking anyone’s windows with the ball - let them play on!

I totally understand your point of view. But I want to warn you: when their baby is 8 years old, your children will be teenagers who want to sleep in. And when teenagers are woken up before 11 AM, during the weekends, they’ll be grumpy all day. And so will you.

I’m really wondering when the world changed so much that the sound of children playing in the garden went from pleasant background noise to unbearable racket.

7:30pm finish for bouncing balls / screaming kids on weekdays is possibly a little late for me, fair play to be playing, but id say after 7pm to tone it down a bit.

however, as they were pains in the backsides until recently it must feel most sweet to tell them exactly what they were like.

people don’t realise until it affects them, I hope you enjoy this!

I wouldn’t worry too much

Well it’s winter soon so I can’t imagine they will be out too much then.

YABU & I wouldn't be surprised if your neighbours start to retaliate and tell you to deal with it.

Ball noise is intolerable.

I have no sympathy for your neighbours. When next door have their kid singing tunelessly at stupid o clock or playing with her basketball hoop, I think how annoying mine must have been. Their baby will soon be growing up and making a racket that you haven't complained about. Don't limit how much your children play in your garden! By the time the weather is good enough for them to be regularly playing outside, the baby will be causing you a load of grief I suspect.

I dint think your making the point you think you are. Literally the issue is children making a reasonable amount noise withing reasonable hours. Her kids aren't 'shrieking', and the rest of your 'points' speak for themselves. Kids are allowed to exist. Get over yourself

You say it'd a deal breaker for you to to hear the sound of kids playing in their own garden, doesn't that suggest that you're the one who needs to relocate? Like that's very much a you problem.

Why should you limit your time in the garden, let’s be real in a few years time if their kid is in the garden are they going to limit them or ask them to be quiet?
babies need to get used to noise

Perfectly reasonable hours for your boys to be out. Sorry if it annoys people but I’m the same as you! I didn’t put all my money into a house with outside space for my kids not to use it!

I’m really wondering when the world changed so much that the sound of children playing in the garden went from pleasant background noise to unbearable racket.
It hasn't.
Very few people have any issues with children playing in the garden.

The issues lie with parents who don't teach their children what an appropriate level of noise is, don't teach consideration l, act like they're powerless so anything other than lots of noisy play would mean tablet indoors.
Then when people discuss a noise level being inconsiderate and annoying it's all you don't like children, why do you all hate the sound of children playing? Children are allowed to exist!

I’m really wondering when the world changed so much that the sound of children playing in the garden went from pleasant background noise to unbearable racket.

Everyone has said children playing is obviously fine, repetitive ball bouncing and constant screaming are not though.

I like my neighbours and I don't want my kids playing to affect their enjoyment of their house and garden. It's perfectly possible to find the happy medium where the kids are playing outside without disturbing my neighbours.

That's how being a considerate neighbour works and teaches my kids to respect others' feelings.

The world hasn’t changed that much. In the 70s my mum would come out and tell us to stop shouting or screaming if she thought we were too loud. It’s called parenting and consideration for others.

I do wonder how those trying to say this is fine would feel if someone was bouncing a ball outside their window for two hours straight every day. I am guessing they would soon stop feeling as patient!