Noisy Children

I had the same experience with my next-door-neighbour's daughter, but this was about 15 years ago so I don't think it's a new thing.

I used to really look forward to sitting in the garden reading a book at the weekend, but her little girl used to rush up and down shrieking almost continuously until I just had to go in. She didn't have ADHD or autism or anything like that - she's grown up now and has just finished university. If she had had special needs I would have tried to be more accepting.

Now, my neighbour on the other side has two young children. They can be a bit noisy at times, especially when they have several friends over to play, but it's not constant and I think that's fair enough.

I don't expect children to be quiet little mice all the time but if my own had made such a continuous racket, I would have told them to pipe down.

I think you are just getting grumpy maniac.

Well you did ask.

Children do seem to scream a lot, ours are fine on their own but put them together and it hurts the ears. GD asked if I would attend a party she was having with all her classmates, I asked her if they all screamed "yes Grandma, except the boys"

I feel sorry for the neighbours when I visit my grandsons. I get a bit noisy.

Jingle -

gillybob you're probably right -I am getting grumpy- and old- have had 30 yrs more than you of experience and patience with children's noise....maybe am more sensitive being denied contact with my own GS! and living on my own.

Old and grumpy? Not you, Maniac. Far from it. Listen, everyone, Maniac is NOT grumpy - getting on a bit, maybe, but grumpy? No!

Oh Maniac I was honestly joking when I said "you did ask" I didn't mean to cause any offence. for my age (51 and a half) I have had quite a lot of experience. My son was born when I was 18 he is 33 and I have 3 gorgeous grandchildren aged 7, 5 and 3 that I have looked after from the oldest being just weeks old.

I think we are just more tolerant of children's " noise" these days. I was often told to shut up ( mind you making up for it now ha ha) and often felt like an intruder in my parents life. I vowed that my children would have a voice and I guess that may have carried on through my grandchildren. I love to hear them sing, laugh, squabble, and scream too.

I only had a son which pleased me because I always felt I couldnt be firm with a little girl and also their soft whiny voices got on my nerves.I have to admit though your little girls and their sweet accents are charming. I've seen that show I can't think of the name right off,that has the three children and mom and dad and he is a teacher? anyway I could listen to her all day. Im not sure in real life if you could possibly have unending patience that they show on that program.

Outnumbered,just remembered.

My sister, who was a grumpy young woman and is a very grumpy old woman, rails about the noise the children two doors away make when playing on their trampoline in the garden. She has forgotten telling me that when her four sons were all at home they would come home from clubs at 2 am with friends and start playing their loud music. She lives in a mid-terraced house.
I found the endless yapping of a puppy that was left alone all day by one of my neighbours far more disturbing than the noise of children.
Some noises are obviously more annoying than others - children used to play 'two-balls' (anybody remember that?) against the wall of our end terrace, and the endless thump-thump-thump really did make me feel like screaming!
Children laughing never bothers me, but I do admit that there seems to be much more screaming these days, but that holds true for older girls. I think it started with the Beatles!
Maniac - looking after somebody else's children of 3 years and 18 months would fray the nerves of anyone! It is hard enough when they are your own grandchildren or great-gd. Can you find some polite excuse in future?

The sounds of shouty, cross children arguing and crying gets on the nerves in no time, whereas I don't mind the sound of happy children playing. But even that is a lot better ouut of doors than it is in a small house. Children who don't understand no are a real problem, best avoided as much as possible.

Anno and others -Thanks for support.Greatnan yes I have politely told mum I can't cope with both children but will happily look after one or babysit when they are asleep to give parents a night out.
P.S They were asked to leave Post office last week because of noise and mayhem!

Maybe I am becoming grumpy. The house behind us has a much bigger garden than ours and though the neighbours are very pleasant we did not often see them down our end other than to prune their bushes etc. They have now had the house extended so their children's trampoline is right next to the shared wall. Despite a bit of ivy when the children are bouncing up and down they are very close to us and can see over. There is a lot of laughing and shouting which is only to be expected as they play but it has put paid to sitting out and having a quiet read or just a bit of a sunbathe. The house on the other side had a big garden and the owner decided to build two houses in the garden for his sons. They were building them in their spare time so we had two years of hammering and sawing etc on every fine weekend/evening. I fully appreciate they wanted to get the houses finished but I do think they were just a bit selfish!.

I find the voices of small boys much shriller and "nails down the blackboard" than those of girls.

Also, quite simply, louder. Try running a mixed Cub pack and you'll soon know what noise is.

I think kids need to let rip with yelling and shouting though in evolutionary terms I've often wondered why. Most small mammals keep quiet for reasons of safety. Small humans behave as if they are challenging every predator that exists! Maybe they are.

Bags No, shan't and you can't make me.

There is nothing more pleasant than the sound of children laughing, shouting a little and enjoying themsleves - screeching and screaming quite a different matter.

Greatnan I remember two-balls, and the thrill when I had finally got the knack.
We lived in a semi with about 6 ft between us and the next house, so it was a good place to play. The only snag was that our house was semi-pebbledashed and woe betide us if the balls went too high, above the brick and knocked a few of the pebbles off. Dad would come out and we would be banned for the rest of the day.
We would start with ordinaries.
Then overs - you threw the ball on the last syllable of whatever rhyme you were doing it to, overarm.
Then upsies, throughsies, (right and left leg) and I think the ultimate was to spin around, but not sure about that one.
There were various rhymes we employed.
My favourite was Nebuchadnezzar the King of the Jews
Sold his wife for a pair of shoes
When the shoes began to wear
Nebuchadnezzar began to swear
When the swearing began to stop
Nebuchadnezzar bought a shop
When the shop began to sell
Nebuchadnezzar bought a bell
When the bell began to ring
Nebuchadnezzar began to sing
Do re mi fa soh lah te do

Good grief - I haven't thought about that for years

I can get a bit fed up when the little boys next door keep kicking their ball against the fence when I'm sitting in the garden reading. Then there's the family across the way whose garden points sideways towards ours but isn't adjacent to it. An elderly lady lives there and her grandchildren and their dogs visit . Lots of noise there, sometimes because the dogs bark all the time! So I put my earphones in and listen to music - but then I can't hear the birds singing....oh well, such is life!

Happy children shouting and laughing is not a nuisance, but I do hate that high-pitched repeated scream that they do, probably because I used to live near a small bit of waste ground where children played a lot and one day a neighbour's boy was set upon by a couple of bigger ones and came home in tears. No-one had paid any attention to his cries because they were accustomed to the noise.

I don't like very high singing voices either - whenever I hear "Pie Jesu" sung my throat tightens up with the singer's.

Happy noise is delightful and I enjoy listening to children playing and shouting happily but screaming - ugh. It drives me mad and it seems it is not just my own grandchildren who do it. I have been driven from cafes and shops. There seems to be a lot of whining too these days or have I just forgotten what it used to be like? When my children were small I couldn't afford to go to cafes for expensive coffees. Tried not to trail round the shops with small children as well. With friends we babysat for each other so we each had a chance to shop in peace!!

When my Grandma was nearing the end of her life my mother asked if she should close the window to shut out the sounds of noisy children shouting, shrieking and laughing in the street outside. Grandma replied, "leave it, if the last sound I hear is a child's voice I'm blessed indeed". I think of her every time I hear children's voices raised in excitement.