What would you do?

[Baby14]

I am not sure if I am posting in the right place but am looking for some advice...here goes..

I have a DS 4 and a half months old and our next door neighbours have a 7yr old and an 18yr old who LOVE to play basketball. They have a basketball hoop attached to their house and play basketball EVERY day.

The problem is, our houses are so close together that all I hear every afternoon is the thump thump thump of the basketball and then the BANG as it hits the backboard when they are shooting hoops. Then it bangs against the colourbond fence. Now, I am all for kids playing outside but what about my poor bub who is trying to sleep??

I am absolutely at my wits end as they wake DS up nearly every day and I am then left to deal with a cranky baby for the rest of the day.

I know I probably have no right to say anything but I am at the point now where I dread 3pm coming as I know the little guy is going to be home from school soon and the thumping will start, it is doing my head in

I am very ashamed of my behaviour on Monday as DS had a very bad afternoon and when they woke him up I slammed all of our windows shut and then after I got DS back to sleep he woke again and I went out the back and yelled at them to "STOP BANGING THE BALL ON MY FENCE!!"

Today, I just got DS to bed and the 18yr old comes out at 2pm and starts shooting hoops, I closed all the windows and tried to ignore it but now I am sitting in a stuffy house when there is a beautiful breeze blowing and it is making me very upset and cranky

Wow...that was a HUGE rant! If you have read this far and have any advice I would be very grateful. I would like to talk to the parents but my DH is dead against it and says we have no right to stop them playing ball in their own yard which in my rational moments I agree with..but when it starts up every day my irrational mind takes over and I just want to scream!

Here comes 3pm

[Heaven]

Oh that would be hard I'm not sure what to do though. How long does it go on for?

Could you have a daily walk in the pram at this time of day and DS can sleep in there?

[~Kaz~]

Big

I know what it's like to lose all rationality over sleep issues. It's tough. In terms of etiquette though, I'm not sure you have any grounds to ask them to stop playing. Perhaps it is a phase that the 7 year old is right into basketball atm? Has it been going on long that they play hoops every afternoon?

I was thinking the same as Heaven - either trying to move DS further away in the house to another room for that sleep (a port-a-cot or the pram?) or going out with the pram for a walk. Could you wear him in a sling for that sleep so he re-settles quickly if woken?

Try to remember that one day, it will be your DS shooting hoops or doing some other noisy activity in the backyard and bothering the neighbours.

[sneakysparkle]

I can understand your frustration!

At the moment we have neighbours (also very close) who love to yell and scream at each other - in language we don't use at home. Does my head in too

Anyway - I was thinking - could you maybe put on some soft music in bubs room to keep some sort of constant noise while he sleeps - it might help him to stay sleeping when there are other disturbances? Just an idea!

[AnyDream]

I think it might pay to pop over and explain that your baby sleeps between x and y o'clock and ask very politely if they could bounce their ball outside of these times? Apologise profusely for asking (of course) and be absolutely sweet as pie about asking. Even if you get a reduction in frequency that would help, right?

[Jaycee]

That's a tough one, I'm in a similar position at the moment, but instead of the ball, our neighbour likes to start his V8 drag car (extremely loud V8 drag car!) up at 6am, and then at 9pm, and then 2am, all the while waking my poor DS up as his window is right next to the garage! So I feel your pain, trust me

[Snowy Love]

That's a tough one, I'm in a similar position at the moment, but instead of the ball, our neighbour likes to start his V8 drag car (extremely loud V8 drag car!) up at 6am, and then at 9pm, and then 2am, all the while waking my poor DS up as his window is right next to the garage! So I feel your pain, trust me

Pretty sure that's a violation of noise laws, none of those times are in the allowable period.

[~Kim~]

Technically if a noise is able to be heard in another person's house and is causing them 'discomfort' then it is actually offensive, however getting anything done about it in professional avenues would prove difficult.

However, I agree with MD. Not sure how friendly you are with them but there's a mum in there if there are kids and surely she remembers how hard it is with a little person.....but I would go overboard on the 'nice'.

[Cherished]

what a shame they are waking your child up. Most people are pretty reasonable if you approach them and ask them for their help If you tell them what time your child is sleeping and ask them to knock it off during those times I'm sure they would be ok with it.... I know it might go against your grain but maybe approach them, appologise for loosing it and explain how much of a hard time you are having with a cranky child. Appeal to their sense of decent human nature and I'm sure you will find a happy medium. I think they do have a right to play basket ball though unless they are actually damaging your property.

[fionas]

I'd see if you can settle baby in another room and if not, pop over and ask like the other posters have said.

But just be aware too that baby's sleep patterns are likely to change so you might be over there this month saying please avoid x and x, then over next month with a changed time.

So I'd be tempted to think of longer term solutions like the other room thing.

[Baby14]

Thanks for all of your replies and suggestions

Heaven, the walk is a good idea, I might give that a go tomorrow...I have been whinging about not losing weight so really I should get my butt up and walk, might make me feel a bit more sane!

Kaz, I'd like to think it was going to end soon but really it has been going on for quite a while..it has always bugged me a bit but now..wow! He is already in the bedroom furthest away from the noise as he sleeps in our room and the sling is a good idea but DS is a big bub..nearly 8.5kgs and I only have a baby bjorn so he doesn't sleep comfortably in it. I think the walk might be the best option for now.

Sneakysparkle and Gracious Goddess, I so feel your pain I suppose I should be thankful that it is only 3hours in the afternoon and not at 2am and 6am

Marydean/Kim & Cherished, I would love to ask them but DH is dead against it and then after reading fionas post, I guess she is right, if I ask them to keep it down a bit now at a certain time and then DS's sleep time changes I am going to be in trouble.

I guess for now I should just 'suck it up' and buy myself a good pair of sneakers