My kingdom for just a little peace and quiet
@thinkingoutloud (6127)
Canada
May 20, 2011 5:26pm CST
At the house two doors down from me, there are a LOT of kids. They are a large family to begin with (4 or 5 daughters, I think) and they foster, as well. The foster kids are always very young. Plus, at least one of the daughters living at home now has a baby. Since the weather is nice, all the children are outside all day, as they should be. Problem is, the kids scream (and I mean literally scream) pretty much the whole time they are out there. The other day, it was clearly a contest to see who could scream the loudest because no one was actually saying anything - JUST screaming.
I've raised two daughters and I truthfully never let them make THAT much noise in the yard. Sure, at the park or whatever, run around and scream your head off LOL But, at home, I felt that there was a level of play noise that was acceptable and, beyond that, it was really disrespecting my neighbors. As it is now, it's hard for me or my daughters to work on our computers outdoors, to sit in the lounge chairs and read or to do pretty much anything without the constant shrill noise from two houses over.
In between us and them is a senior citizen couple who are not in good health. The lady likes to lay down on her garden swing on nice days and have her rest outdoors. I feel bad that she can never once have a quiet day in her yard because of the kids next door to her.
Kids are kids and they need to play and have fun and enjoy themselves. Believe me, I don't think they have to sit and be quiet all the time -- I don't mean to imply that at all. But I do think there is a point in time where the parents need to teach them to respect other people around them. This family basically carries on as though they are the only ones on the whole block. When it's hot enough for their pool to be used, the noise will get even louder. Do you think kids should be able to do whatever they want outdoors in the daytime? Do you often tell your kids to pipe down while they're playing outside? How would you feel with neighbors like this family?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
21 May 11
I agree that even if children are outside they should not be unrealistically loud. There is a difference between being playfully loud and obnoxiously loud. This family sounds a bit obnoxious. Whenver my children are playing outside I do put a stop to screaming. When I was a child I was told I was only allowed to scream when I was hurt or in trouble and needed help because screams got my parents running to see what was the matter. I could play loudly all I wanted outside, but shrieks and screams were saved for emergencies only.
2 people like this
@thinkingoutloud (6127)
• Canada
21 May 11
I was raised the same way! We always had a pool when I was a kid and that attracted all of the neighborhood kids to our backyard. My mom said she always felt like the town lifeguard because she had everyone else's kids to supervise and the other mothers would get together for coffee elsewhere LOL Anyway, she would only let us get away with so much... if we were yelling or shrieking for too long, she'd always tell us to quiet down. We could laugh, play and have fun... just not let it reach unreasonable or disrespectful levels. I used to do the same with my kids.
You're right, though... the family is kind of obnoxious. It's like they live in their own little world at the end of the street. They don't speak to anyone and I was relating in another comment, one of my kids befriended one of their daughters when I first bought this house. Out of the blue, the mother told them they couldn't be friends anymore and we never knew why. There had been no trouble at all... just the girls playing together. They seem to insulate themselves from anyone else. My daughter even told me, when she first met them, that they had two boys living with them (fostered, I would presume) but "we're not allowed to talk about that." I don't think they want anyone near them so it makes me really hesitant to ever approach them about the noise levels :(
1 person likes this
@thinkingoutloud (6127)
• Canada
24 May 11
Me too, katsmeow... in fact, I've heard other people on the street jokingly refer to their house as "the cult" simply because of their odd behavior. They seem to be so insulated and you never see anyone there that isn't family. I did see one of the girls with a boyfriend recently but they stand out on the street and say their goodbyes and he doesn't even step on the property.
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@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
22 May 11
It all sounds very odd. Makes me very curious as to what goes on in that house.
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@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
21 May 11
When my girls were little, there were times when I would tell them.."hey...tone it down"..lol. They would be very excited when they were playing and if the neighbors kids was over too..well...that was another beast. I just had to treat them all like they were mine and tell them to pipe down too.
It does seem that the people caring for the children would be a little more concerned with their neighbor's peace and quiet. I think I might be a little aggravated too if it was all the time.
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@thinkingoutloud (6127)
• Canada
22 May 11
That's exactly where I am with it JenInTN... I've tried hard to ignore it and to not be bothered by it but, as long as the weather is half-decent, it's every single day. There isn't one day so far that I've been outside and it's been calmer. I feel rotten being annoyed by kids - because I know they are having fun - but it would just be nice to have a bit of a break :\
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@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
28 Jun 11
Personally, I'm in Cavour of child-free communities! If I were in your situation, I'd walk around my yard with my video camera. The camera would pick up the noise accurately. I'd talk to the police, and my attorney. I'd also get the seniors next door on board, and we'd all work together to make the neighbourhood a better place.
Sister and I were raised to be relatively quiet, and always respectful. So were my hubby's 10 children.
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@thinkingoutloud (6127)
• Canada
28 Jun 11
10 children?! Holy smokes! That would be a busy household no matter what! I honestly never thought of recording what's been happening but that is a good idea. Recently, both of my daughters have been saying they are having trouble staying asleep in the mornings because that family ships all the kids outside so early and the screaming starts. I sleep on a different level of my house than my daughters and don't hear it but I believe them. When I take my dog out in the morning, they're definitely out there.
@Christinelle (396)
• Greece
20 May 11
I wouldn't mind if that happened sometimes but surely it's not nice to go through it every single day. Maybe you could talk to the family and just let them know that they should at least make less noise at noon, when some people are trying to sleep.
2 people like this
@thinkingoutloud (6127)
• Canada
21 May 11
I've thought about speaking to them... but this family is truthfully VERY strange. When I first bought my house, my younger daughter made friends with one of their daughters that is the same age. They would go to the park together and were in the same grade at school and stuff. I took their daughter with us to a movie and dinner one time. Then, one day my daughter comes in all upset and tells me they can't be friends any more because the other girl's mother said so. To this day, I have no idea why! They never had a fight, never got into any trouble, nothing. I never see any friends going to that house. The only people ever there are the family and the foster kids. No outsiders. I'm a little leery of showing up on their doorstep.
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