Running Child Upstairs
Hello. I have been living in my condo for 5 weeks. Immediately upon moving in, I realized that the child in the apartment above mine runs the length of the apartment–whose layout is the same as mine– anywhere from a few minutes to as many as 45 minutes at a time. About two weeks ago…
Hello. I have been living in my condo for 5 weeks. Immediately upon moving in, I realized that the child in the apartment above mine runs the length of the apartment–whose layout is the same as mine– anywhere from a few minutes to as many as 45 minutes at a time. About two weeks ago after having to listen to that for 45 minutes, I went upstairs, introduced myself and politely stated that running for 45 minutes non-stop was jarring and that I couldn’t even hear my TV. The father asked me what he wanted me to do. I told him that the solution was up to him and his wife. I remained polite but clear about the noise being unnerving. He insists on my giving him a solution. I noted that in cases like this carpeting seemed like the solution. He said, “I won’t install carpeting. Anyway, I don’t think it will matter.†I told him not be so negative after pushing for a solution. He wanted us to agree on a schedule. I said, “It’s obvious I’m not home all week from 8 am to 8 pm. However when I come home, I’d like to be able to relax and hear my TV or just read.†He said, “That seems reasonable.†For the most part, there hasn’t been running after 8 pm during the week. The thing is, the weekends are unbearable with that child. I came home on Sunday night around 5 pm and by 6 pm I had to put in earplugs. Ditto for tonight. What would be my next step? He has said NO to carpeting. Am I being unreasonable? Should I stay quite about that noise? Should I just go to the condo association? Try with him again? I’d like to get along with my neighbors but it has to be a two-way street. The only thing, I am obviously the one in the weaker position. Thank you!
“do you think it’s acceptable to permit a child to run back and forth in an apartment for 45 minutes”
orestes — yes, I think it is acceptable for a child to play for 45 minutes at a time in his home.
My son spent a good 30 minutes yesterday picking up a ball, rolling it across the floor, running to pick it up, rolling it back the other way, running to pick it up, rolling it back again, laughing his head off the whole time yelling “ba! ba! ba! ball!”
He’s 15 months old and it’s the first time he’s ever done it, and there was no way I was going to stop him. I confess I got the ball out from under the desk for him and rolled it across the room myself a few times.
He could not do this out on the sidewalk as the ball would roll out into the street not to mention he’d be running on concrete and could injure himself.
He could not do this at a playground as other children would interfere and he would be distracted by everything around him.
The one place he could do this is in his home.
“Another thing you can do is have your neighbors come down to your apartment while you stomp away in theirs.”
My downstairs neighbour in my old apartment suggested that after complaining about the noise The Champettes were making. So I agreed to do it and immediately switched the locks once I got inside their apartment. Although they ended up with The Champettes, their place was much nicer than mine. I feel I got the better end of the deal, despite the constant pitter patter of rugrats above me.
Bitter Retort, sounds like you know of what you speak. Have you experience this issue with you stomping around in your Loubous, and your downstairs neighbor complaining??
northsloperenter- I think everyone would agree that children make noise, but do you think it’s acceptable to permit a child to run back and forth in an apartment for 45 minutes with a resident underneath? That’s the issue here. It’s not about the noise that is attendant to children (dropping things, running or falling occasionally). It is about parents permitting children to use the apartment as a playground. That is extremely rude to other residents and utterly selfish and unacceptable. Take your child to the park to play or move into a single family home.
Was in the grocery store the other day and heard this kid babbling, the mom told the kid to “shut up”. He marched right up to her, looked up and very calmly announced, “but I’m not done talking yet.” Doesn’t really have anything to do with the thread but got a kick out of it.
Sometimes the parents are worse than the kids and if you continue to nag about the noise they won’t care. If you are nice about it (which it seems like you are doing) and try to get to know them then the parents make an effort to be quiet for you and the child learns that a friend lives below and it’s polite to tone it down.
Another thing you can do is have your neighbors come down to your apartment while you stomp away in theirs. They might have more sympathy if they know first-hand what you’re dealing with every day.
i think that you are definitely not being unreasonable. i think the majority of us want this type of situation: work a 10-hour day, come home and relax, sleep and then do it all over again. asking someone to keep it quiet after 8p mon-fri is pretty reasonable. i think the perspective of this parent is skewed because of the kid.
i’m on the 2nd floor of a 3-family building. the couple above me walk very loudly upstairs from my unit. it’s annoying, but i don’t think it is as bad as a kid running 45min across the floor. in addition, i have a dog. he may bark once in a while, so maybe this evens out, with the pounding walking and the rare barking.
i think that you are definitely not being unreasonable. i think the majority of us want this type of situation: work a 10-hour day, come home and relax, sleep and then do it all over again. asking someone to keep it quiet after 8p mon-fri is pretty reasonable. i think the perspective of this parent is skewed becase of the kid.
i’m on the 2nd floor of a 3-family building. the couple above me walk very loudly upstairs from my unit. it’s annoying, but i don’t think it is as bad as a kid running 45min across the floor. in addition, i have a dog. he may bark once in a while, so maybe this evens out, with the pounding walking and the rare barking.
As many posters above me mentioned, carpeting is actualy required in most apartments. Check your condo’s bylaws. Most of us don’t put in carpet or area rugs because we like the look of our wood floors. If noise isn’t an issue with the neighbor below, then there’s no problem. But in the case of your upstairs neighbor, I’m guessing you have a leg to stand on when asking him to at least put down area rugs with padding beneath them. This will significantly cut down on the noise or at least muffle it.
As a parent to be, I totally agree with the parent who posted here saying that it’s perfectly reasonable to expect a neighbor to teach their children to behave in a way that does not infringe on another neighbor’s peace and quiet.
i think that you are definitely not being unreasonable. i think the majority of us want this type of situation: work a 10-hour day, come home and relax, sleep and then do it all over again. asking someone to keep it quiet after 8p mon-fri is pretty reasonable. i think the perspective of this parent is skewed becase of the kid.
i’m on the 2nd floor of a 3-family building. the couple above me walk very loudly upstairs from my unit. it’s annoying, but i don’t think it is as bad as a kid running 45min across the floor. in addition, i have a dog. he may bark once in a while, so maybe this evens out, with the pounding walking and the rare barking.