Dear G,
My neighbor’s kids scream all day. The terror twins, as I like to call them, are already five years old and scream for no reason at all — when they’re happy, sad, angry, or ecstatic while playing, etc. It is a problem for me because I work from home. I’m trying to be patient and understanding, but I’m really tired of the noise. Any advice?
Annoyed with Screaming
Dear Annoyed with Screaming,
I feel you. My neighbor also has noisy kids. They take joy in making noises because…well, they are kids. Some level of noise is normal, though, and you have to accept that.
On the other hand, I understand your dilemma because you work from home. So, here are some things you can do:
- Soundproof your environment.
- Invest in good noise-canceling equipment. I love my headset! Jabra works for me.
- Talk to your neighbor and ask them to manage their kids.
- Lastly, have a sense of humor. I like to compare their screams to different animal sounds for fun. I search for videos and see how close a match I find. Somehow, it becomes less annoying.
Good luck,
G
Dear Annoyed,
When my eldest was born, I decided to let her sleep while the adults were chattering nonstop. I never shushed anyone. Make noises, I told them. This way, I taught my child to sleep amidst the chaos of the natural world.
In my case, I had to learn to work amidst the noise of my colleagues. I understood that the world was crazy —still is— and it was up to me to adjust to its madness.
Yes, darling, you can teach yourself to ignore the noise. Sooner or later, your world will be comfortably silent.
Do ignore the kids. They’re just kids. They are meant to be irritatingly noisy.
Alternatively, pay a visit to the parents and advise them of your work schedule. Should they be mad enough to engage you in an argument, go to the nearest barangay hall and file a blotter. But this will be quite troublesome, so be prepared to think about this action 20 times.
Plough on!
G
