Noisy children/permissive parents on my floor
It’s fair game to tell the parents that the kids playing in the hall is particularly disturbing (if in fact the kids are just playing out there, rather than just being rambunctious as they transit the hall going to and from their home). And you can mention that you hear everything coming from the apartment, and ask if they could ensure they have carpets and carpet pads to dampen some of the noise. But other than rules on playing in the hallway and putting down carpets, there is little the parents CAN do, so what’s the point of saying anything? They know their kids are insane, and probably hate it as much as you do. 3 year olds run everywhere, cry, scream, play noisily together, and bang things. As a parent of a 3 year old in an old creaky house, I am CONSTANTLY on my kid’s case to walk, don’t run; not play that music so early; not bang that stick so early; not try on my shoes so early; etc. But if you lived under me, you don’t hear my million admonitions or consequences (which leads to more screaming), you just hear their million and ten transgressions. They’ll get a lot better when it gets warm out, as someone said, and in a year when they are capable of controlling behavior better and have the cognitive skills to be interested in quieter things. Until then, look for technical solutions like the soundproofing, earplugs and sound machines.
Suzanne
in Soundproofing 13 years and 2 months ago
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9 replies
blammo | 13 years and 2 months ago
I would greatly appreciate advice on dealing with noisy children next door from my Brooklyn Heights rental apartment. The children next door are about 3 (they’re twin boys) and from the moment they wake up (usually around 5:45 to 6 a.m.) until bedtime they’re either screaming, crying, whining, banging on the walls, slamming doors, running wind sprints up and down the apartment, playing loud games or using the common hallway as their playground (their parents use it to store their double-wide stroller and scooters). They’re on their third nanny in nine months. My husband and I — childless thirtysomethings with long hours and jobs that require us to work from home often — were so thrilled to have found this place, which is ideal in most other respects, but the degree of disruption is so great we’re afraid we’ll have to move. Has anyone here successfully dealt with a situation like this? I don’t know whether or how to talk to the parents directly, or whether it’s worth talking to the landlord. This is a rent-stabilized building, and most people have been here more than a decade (some several decades) so we’re the odd men out. I am willing to invest some in soundproofing, though previous threads suggest only structural changes are really effective. I’d be grateful for any advice or insights this community could offer.
armchairwarrior | 13 years and 2 months ago
have you thought about adding 1/2″ sounddeading board and sheet rock 1/2″ or 5/8″. you’ll only lose about 1 or 1+ of wall space. this could be done very fast. took my contractor 1 week+ to do 3 floors of walls. sound got reduce in half. but added it to each tenants wall. so maybe you want to double up on the sounddeading board and 5/8″ sheet rock. only thing that its dirty work. also they probably have to pull the outlets out a bit to the new depth.
daveinbedstuy | 13 years and 2 months ago
Screw that, armchair. Have a stern yet polite talk to the parents. If that doesn’t work, take it to the landlord. This is unacceptable behaviour and unacceptable living conditions.
armchairwarrior | 13 years and 2 months ago
very true :p, yeah talk to those guys about the little bastards.
coopking | 13 years and 2 months ago
I doubt there is much you can do especially if you are a renter.
The landlord
A. would probably love to get rid of your noisy neighbors but if they are rent stabilized its almost impossible
B. most likely doesn’t care that the noisy neighbors are bothering you because if you move out he can just raise the rent on the next tenant. You could try and talk to your neighbors but realistically are 3 year old twin boys not going to run around and slam into walls? If it makes you feel any better my neighbor is dating this women with the most annoying laugh you have ever heard and she is one of those people who laughs at everything. It literally sounds like a car alarm is going off every 30 seconds. I have at times wished that there was a death in her family just so I could have a break from her moronic cackling for like a week. I know that makes me a horrible person but that is what city living can do to you.
webby1000 | 13 years and 2 months ago
Believe it or not, whatever “tiring” experience you are having with these children, their parents are five times as tired as you. There’s only so much control you can put over boys or girls at this age. Rather than fighting a losing battle, I highly recommend you get a white noise machine. I have asthma, and have an air filter from Bed Bath and Beyond which I wasn’t using. My upstairs neighbor was making a lot of noise, gets home from work at 3 a.m., uses a swivel chair all night. He’s very nice and tried, but he was still waking us up 5 times a week. That’s New York. I finally put my air filter on, and since then have not been woken up by him one time. Forget about noise during daytime hours—you’ll have to adapt. Just focus on getting a good night’s sleep.
architect66 | 13 years and 2 months ago
While there is not much you can do to manage rowdy 3 year olds other than take them outside a lot and run them around to the point of exhaustion, storing stuff in the hallway and using it as a play area are both no-nos. You should let your neighbors know that it isn’t OK, and that you are going to talk to the landlord about it. Then if they don’t change, talk to the landlord. The stored material in the hallway is a fire hazard, and if one of the little monsters is injured in the hallway, it could be a liability to the landlord. Another point, their lease may require them to put down carpet over 80% of the floor of the apartment, so it would be perfectly OK to mention this to them. Whatever you do, if you want to get good results, steer clear of whether or not their parenting techniques are OK when you talk to them. If you make it about noise, it is one thing. If it is about “controlling the unruly children” that is much harder to deal with.
Stonergut | 13 years and 2 months ago
Wait. Winter is awful, and it’s almost over. Soon the kids will be outdoors and next winter, they’ll be in Pre-K. This bounce-off-the-walls stage is not endless and kids don’t do it on purpose. Neither do the parents.
Stonergut | 13 years and 2 months ago
You know, if you have a really terrible day or a horrifying deadline, shame works wonders. Give the mom/nanny $30 bucks to take them to the movies. You’ll look generous and they’ll be embarassed. Regardless , they’ll get the message in a big way. Love thy neighbor works wonders ; )