Can noise from kids be anti social behaviour?

AnthonyUK

As a child I wasn't allowed to scream when playing and neither were my twin brother and sister, we didn't do it;any of that and we were smacked and told off-but why is it normal for kids to scream all the time when playing sounding like they are murdered? There's no need for it;it's NOT playing at all it's a nuisance and annoyance!

Fuzzy_Duck

unholyangel wrote: »

I can sympathise. Kids playing doesnt really bother me. Its when they play "lets see who can scream the loudest" or stand roaring "mum" instead of using their legs to walk 20ft i get annoyed.

Our court really shouldnt be played in as a lot of cars are parked there and several cars (including my flatmates) has been damaged/had a window smashed due to the kids.

Police arent interested in any of it. I work nights so summer holidays is a nightmare for me trying to at least get some sleep. I love winter as the kids are indoors early. What most people dont stop to realise is that they might work 9-5 or might not work at all, but there are people who have to work shifts (nurses, paramedics, doctors, police etc) and while they may think it is fine for their kid to be screaming blue bloody murder at 3pm, that 3pm may be someone elses 3am.

I would love to use earplugs but if i do, i might not hear my alarm clock. As a result, i've not had more than 4 hours (usually i get 2-3 hours) sleep in the past 8-9 months (previously the area i lived didnt have any young children)

Bit off-topic but have you considered an under-pillow vibration alarm clock?

screentrader_2

hippyadam wrote: »

I would have to say in my humble opinion no, it does not constitute anti-social behaviour. Nor in my opinion, should it.

I am a parent of a 2yr old & a 9yr old, the 9yr old is regularly charging about with his friends/neighbours on our street. They ride bikes & skateboards, play football, climb trees & generally just enjoy the freedom that comes with being 9yrs old. Yes sometimes they are loud, sometimes they are messy & sometimes they don't think their actions through but that is to be expected from a 9yr old.

Neither he nor his friends act in an any way criminal or anti social, they do not damage property, they do not verbally abuse anyone & i would be the first person out on the street grilling them all if they did!

I would recommend the OP ask the kids in question if they wouldn't mind playing on the lovely new council built park or dialling down the noise level after 8pm or before 11am say.

But an ASBO for playing in the street? That's just ridiculous.

If you want any further clarification check out the govs own guidance here:
Edited to remove the bold.

I am sorry - I think you are getting the wrong end of the stick here...its not just "playing in the street" that alot of people have a problem with. It is actual harassment! I am in the same situation and have been driven to try and sell my house as I cannot take it any more. I have tried to "talk to the children", I have tried to "talk" to the parents (who's atitude is similar to yours - they are just boys being boys). I have the same problems as the others who have written in, loud noise, ball crashing into my window, my bushes being torn to pieces, knock-down ginger (buzzer being rung loudly until I get up and then they leg it or bashing on my door). After politely asking why they couldn't go and play in the park (lovely park, with football/basket ball area and grass etc just 2 minutes walk away) we were told that it was a free world and they could play where they want. Since our "polite" talk we now find ourselves in the situation where 10-15 boys hang outside our ground floor flat constantly until late at night, shouting, pulling at my hedge and staring into the flat. These are young teenagers and as a female on my own I feel totally threatened. I often come home wondering if a window will be broken or a fire started in my letterbox. I have phoned the police and a file has been opened. This is not being OTT, it is totally in context. Why should I live in the dark, afraid to open my curtains or have fresh air, or have to have my TV up loud in order to drown out the noise. Why should I worry that my property may be damaged. Yes they are kids, but they are not stupid and know full well in this day and age that they can pretty much do anything they like, without fear of punishment. I would love for any of those against the original poster to come and live our lives for just one week....see if you're so forgiving and ready to point the finger then!!

DCFC79

screentrader you do realise the thread is old,

slimgym

screentrader wrote: »

its not just "playing in the street" that alot of people have a problem with. It is actual harassment!

I really feel for you in your situation - our situation was similar (though with less harassment as we never challenged them). We used to sit in the dark with the TV and lights down pretending to be out otherwise the sods would bang the windows and kick the door. Called the police who helpfully said none of that is illegal.

I now read Hertfordshire are turning street lights at midnight across the entire county. That was the only thing at least we could look out of the windows and see where they were congregating!

Last October we moved out and into private rented, life has got a lot better as a result, all over, much less stress. We have rented our house out and our tenant fits in with the locals and he's paying so it's all dandy... If he wanted to buy it we would sell, I never ever want to move back there.

It's happening everywhere, kids inheriting parental traits - don't give a stuff - do what you like - no one can do anything. Our laws on this are terribly ineffective - we probably didn't need any laws in the past when people had respect for each other. The council will want you to keep a diary for a month and they will decide if it's bad enough to merit action, then they will repeatedly warn before doing anything. It just takes forever and is not worth it. You would have to keep up so much pressure against them, draw in councillors, MP's and stuff, just make a pain of yourself so much that you force them into acting.

It's all life experience - though. Next time I would be much more cautious not only of the neighbours but the design. Would never move to another "estate". We had a great position on an estate, being on the secluded end, but it made us the unfortunate target for all the grief, though no cause of our own.

qetu1357

Friend called council to complain about noisy all night party from neighbours.

Council came round, music turned down then turned up again after the council left.

Next morning friend finds cable from satellite dish cut..........

hippyadam

screentrader wrote: »

I am sorry - I think you are getting the wrong end of the stick here...its not just "playing in the street" that alot of people have a problem with. It is actual harassment! I am in the same situation and have been driven to try and sell my house as I cannot take it any more. I have tried to "talk to the children", I have tried to "talk" to the parents (who's atitude is similar to yours - they are just boys being boys). I have the same problems as the others who have written in, loud noise, ball crashing into my window, my bushes being torn to pieces, knock-down ginger (buzzer being rung loudly until I get up and then they leg it or bashing on my door). After politely asking why they couldn't go and play in the park (lovely park, with football/basket ball area and grass etc just 2 minutes walk away) we were told that it was a free world and they could play where they want. Since our "polite" talk we now find ourselves in the situation where 10-15 boys hang outside our ground floor flat constantly until late at night, shouting, pulling at my hedge and staring into the flat. These are young teenagers and as a female on my own I feel totally threatened. I often come home wondering if a window will be broken or a fire started in my letterbox. I have phoned the police and a file has been opened. This is not being OTT, it is totally in context. Why should I live in the dark, afraid to open my curtains or have fresh air, or have to have my TV up loud in order to drown out the noise. Why should I worry that my property may be damaged. Yes they are kids, but they are not stupid and know full well in this day and age that they can pretty much do anything they like, without fear of punishment. I would love for any of those against the original poster to come and live our lives for just one week....see if you're so forgiving and ready to point the finger then!!

Look out, its:

The Thread of the Dead!



(you do realise this thread dates back to 2009)

And to be fair, the situation you are describing is completely different to the situation I am describing...

Why you've picked up on that post considering your living in a darkened room with no fresh air and I'm talking about little kids playing football or riding their bikes I don't know...

But in your situation they aren't simply little kids riding bikes or playing are they? No they are young teenagers loitering outside your house until late at night, pulling your bushes (ooh-er) and god forbid staring into your flat! And you state your afraid that you'll come home to a broken window or a burning house, quick question have they actually damaged your property or given you reason to fear them?

MamaMoo_2

Our neighbours are real dicks. We don't have much to do with them as myself an my hubby tend to keep to ourselves, but we've had so much grief off of all the scummy teenage moms that live round here.
We got accused of our bin bags attracting cats and being ripped open & leaving a mess. When we politely explained that we keep our bins under our porch until bin day, so it couldn't be ours, they got very ar*ey.
Our satellite dish wire is often ripped away from the wall, their kids draw on our wall, litter is thrown under our porch or on our steps, they block the path so we can't get past (we live above some shops, so there's only a fairly narrow walkway)
When we had some building work done recently, our front door was left open a lot for ventilation, and they kept nosing in or chatting up the builders, so I had to start locking the door.
They also seem to like blasting music at all hours.
Luckily, I recently discovered they all like to smoke weed (around their kids!) so I told them if they didn't grow up, I'd be reporting them all to social services and the council.
Haven't had much crap from them lately, thankfully.

dark_lady

I used to work nights and there is absolutely no consideration for those that do. Nurses and doctors work nights and hopefully one of the !!!!!!!s who make noise will be rushed in on their shift and diagnosed by someone who they kept awake the day before and has only had two hours sleep.
A friend of mine got so fed up she waited until 3am,went outside with a "ghetto blaster" and blasted them with some Bon Jovi saying to them "if i cant get any sleep then why should you"
This was about ten tears ago. Now we have kids kicking balls right near the flats. Bet if they break a window the parents wont be willing to use the Child Benefit/tax credits to pay for it.

tbw

Whether the thread started long ago is irrelevant - the problems remain similar and are just as valid.

Unfortunately, society today relies on 'Human Rights' to justify just about anything that inconsiderate plonkers feel like doing. Common sense, consideration, politeness and thinking about the possible impact of your behaviour are all concepts that are often in short supply. Its not general - most people do still behave considerately - but a hard core think the world owes them a living and that they can do exactly as they want ie sod the rest of us!