To expect my neighbour to stop her son playing the recorder in the garden?

[Alonero]

Not sure if I’m being precious but I need a sanity check.

Next door’s little boy (8ish?) has taken up the recorder and every single evening he’s out in the garden squeaking away. He’s clearly just learning – bless him – but it’s the same few notes over and over, really loud and really shrill. It’s been going on for a couple of weeks now and honestly it’s starting to drive me up the wall.

We’ve had all the windows open with the heat and it’s impossible to relax. You can’t have a conversation in the kitchen without it sounding like you’re being heckled by a flock of geese. I tried to hint to his mum the other day – said something like “ooh, we’ve been treated to quite the performance lately” – and she just laughed and said he’s a musical genius in the making. Right.

I don’t want to be the grumpy neighbour who ruins a kid’s joy but surely there’s a time and a place? Or at least… maybe indoors with the windows shut?

AIBU to think a bit of peace in your own garden isn’t too much to ask?

I know it's not really funny but I couldn't help 😂

How long does he play for?

He can't be playing for that long, surely. Leave him to it.

‘Heckled by a flock of geese’ 😂

How long does he play for? Maybe it drives his DM up the wall and that why he’s out in the garden. Put on some music of your own just loud enough to block it out. Never heard of anyone become a recorder-playing superstar so it will probably be a short-lived phase.

YABU it's a child playing in his own garden during daylight hours. It's just normal household noise.

He usually goes for about 30–40 mins, sometimes longer if he’s “composing” (his word, not mine). It’s always early evening so we’re trying to cook, get DC bathed etc and it’s just constant tooting.

You’re probably right that his mum’s had enough indoors and shoves him out. Might try the music idea – maybe a bit of ABBA will drown it out and encourage a duet 😅

Also very relieved to hear recorder stardom isn’t a big pipeline – if this is a short phase I’ll grit my teeth and get through it!

Jesus this would drive me potty! Whenever my son gets the recorder out I distract him and hide it! It’s a bloody hideous noise. In fact I think I’ve thrown it away!

I'd dig out my 50 year old recorder and show off by playing Bright Eyes or Annie"s Song.

I heard a kid the other day from an open window, it was painful. It does depend on how long he plays for to be honest, if it's 30 mins I would suck it up. But otherwise just say something, maybe ask if he could play sometime in the house. My guess is the parents don't want the racket in the house...

Aha absolutely cracking up!

I think it's lovely that he is so keen.

A recorder played by anyone is not normal household noise. Played by a child who is not proficient it is mental torture.

Also it's not like the violin starts awful but then becomes a beautiful instrument it's such a shrill sound in the best of hands..

This is really funny because I always think that a child playing a recorder at 6am would be a great way to get back at neighbours who have a noisy and drunken garden party!

Agreed! 15 years working in a primary school will cure anyone of thinking that the recorder is a good way to start playing music..!

My daughter brought a clarinet home once...I played the clarinet at school too. She went straight in the garden and was squeaking away. Luckily for all of us in the house and nearby, the novelty wore off quite quickly 🤣🤣

On my street, the twins one house over got a recorder each at the weekend... I feel your pain.

I reckon you have inadvertently committed some terrible act against your neighbour and this is the revenge

Put the radio on fairly loud when he does it? How long is he doing it? If it’s ten mins live with it. If it’s an hour is annoying. I expect recorder phases are short lived

I wouldn't let my son do that. Everyone around us has kids and they all have different needs and routines. I'm trying to teach him to be considerate of his neighbours. He's a 2YO for context and loves to banshee wail for zero reason at all. I would tell him to practice in his room because x,y and z was trying to put their baby to bed etc. His mam sounds naive or deaf.

YANBU - I assumed he was practicing for 20 minutes or less, which is manageable. 45 minutes is a long time to listen to something as shrill sounding as a recorder. Utterly pointless instrument, it never sounds pleasant.

It would drive me to the very edge of my sanity having to listen to it for that long every day.

🤣

YANBU. Diabolical. I love your description though, really made me laugh.

It’s really inconsiderate of the parents.

Is he playing three blind mice over and ovet

It would drive me insane but there’s not much you can do

Im aware of my neighbours so would never allow my DC to do that but some people sadly are idiots