What would you do if you received an anonymous letter accusing your children of “terrorising the neighbourhood” simply for being kids?
Mum Kristen Munsell Tripp decided to respond to a poison pen letter with a note of her own. And we are LOVING what she has to say.
Newsflash. Kids make noise. But some people haven’t figured that out just yet. One such person has made his or her objection to children having fun known in a letter (stamped with a heart, of all things) that has since gone viral.
The letter was penned last year, but recently resurfaced on social media. It accuses the children of holding the neighbourhood to ransom with their wild, shrieking ways. It claims the kiddoes make it impossible for other neighbours be to outside, to enjoy the “mild weather’. Or even “play games outdoors”.
And it’s all because of the children, terrorising the neighbourhood with their playful games.
War of the words
Attention, well meaning neighbours. Send a mama a passive aggressive letter about her kids and you’re bound to be hit with an angry letter back. Or a shoe, even.
Kristen opts for the former and pens her own response to the anonymous neighbour. But because she doesn’t know who it is, she takes her response to social media instead.
Dear Neighbour…
“I’ve always thought it is important to have the respect to deal with people directly when there is a problem that needs to be solved; unfortunately the lack of name or return address on your letter doesn’t allow me to do so,” Kristen writes.
“First, as far as who is in charge at this address, that would be my husband and myself. Trust me, if it were the children or the dog, you’d have a much worse situation to complain about.
“As far as who is teaching them respect and consideration for others, again, that would be my husband and myself. For example, we tell them to treat one another the way they would want to be treated, and that if they have a problem with another person to go to that person and resolve it together.”
Mum of Shrieking Children: 1. Passive Aggressive Letter Writing Neighbour: 0
Next on the list of concerns. Noisy children.
“Well, that is a bit of a dilemma. Between our family and the other immediate neighbours, there are 12 children between the ages of 15 and 6. As you noted, children make noise, joyful and otherwise. Thankfully for both your and my sakes, none of my children have any interest in accordion or drum lessons.”
That’s another point for Mum of Shrieking Children.
The sounds of summer
Kristen then outlines what she has aimed for this summer: “We have made it our goal to be a safe, welcoming place for our children and all the children of the neighbourhood to play, be creative, get exercise, and enjoy the outdoors instead of being addicted to screens.”
What does this look like? Kids riding bikes, climbing trees, swimming in the pool, playing tiggy in the yard, building forts in the woods, playing pretty much every ball sport invented and using their imaginations to make up games.
In other words, kids being kids. In summer. Outside. Oh. The. Horror.
I’m giving Mum of Shrieking Children 12 points for this one. A point for each child in the neighbourhood (and for each child who has probably, at one stage or another, peed in her backyard pool).
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10210228684933637&set=a.1412728878318.58699.1235407973&type=3&theater
Kristen doesn’t end there. In fact, she continues for several more paragraphs (you can read the full letter above).
Those goshdarned terrorising tots
But, there is one massive issue that has yet to be raised. And she, like the rest of her points, nails it:
“I also object to your use of the word “terrorising”, a word which connotes intentionally striking fear into the hearts of others, because I believe it to be inaccurate, though kudos on making an impression with the bold italics.
“I’m afraid that my above response is unlikely to bring you much satisfaction, as I am not willing to muzzle my children or keep them indoors all summer.
“But take hope, dear anonymous neighbour- school and sports are almost back in session and you won’t have to put up with these little terrorists for much longer.”
Boom.
Need more passive aggressive letters? Check out this angry neighbour’s letter suggesting mother keeps her child inside. Or how about the time this Mum was left stunned when Grandma sent a hefty bill for granddaughter’s visit?
30 Comments
Asking them to be quiet after 9pm isn’t a big request and would be considerate of others.
Indeed it would. Unfortunately it sounds like another case of entitled parents not caring at all about how loud and annoying kids can be to neighbours. She even admits she sends the kids outside to make a racket when they’re being too noisy inside!
” you are mistaken in your assumption that no adults have ever told our children to lower their voices. I say it to them regularly. Then I follow it up with, “If you *must* use your outside voices, please go use them outside.”
I am experiencing this exact issue at the moment. It is so annoying and frustrating. We are retirees and live in a residential area. The funny thing is these are renters, and probably illegal as well, but this is Trinidad, anything goes. Clearly the person responding to this letter has no class and does not give a rats ass. I totally agree will all the comments below.
Sorry but people are not complaining for nothing. Chi,Daren should not be shouting at the top of their lungs annoying people all day. Take your children to a park and exercise them. Give your neighbours peace. The have probably worked for years and just want to sit, listen to the birds or read in a garden they deserve. Your children, not theirs. Teach your children to respect others and stop shouting. Or move to a house where there are fewer neighbours to annoy.
Try this on for size – I have a sick-like neighbor who pounds the floor in big hard shoes while I… Rest, or try to…while I cook…use the restroom. Landlord in charge won’t do anything… But the jokes on her – – See I’m moving… And will never rent an apartment again..
LoL ~ Never feel you have to suffer – Due to a slumlord ! Visit your local Tenants Union – Get your booklet of Rights/ with RCW codes… And move !!! Oh & say a prayer well… As good things always happen when we Pray !
Can see both sides here – the quiet-loving neighbour and the family allowed some playtime. I have a small child neighbour who teases their dog. The dog nips, the child screams. Also the dog barks quite a bit – just past the puppy stage, so that’s understandable. The parents are pretty much on the ball with everything so it’s not a real problem. Had another family though much worse. The child would be left outside to scream. Thankfully they moved. On the whole, some noise is acceptable within reason so long as it doesn’t go on too long. Then I can sympathise.
This article is trash. Learn to fucking control your kids. Ignorant scum of a mother.
Dam right Sir ! She is arogant with spoiled brats ! Hope she ll get karma asap !
She basically admits her yard is a day care for all the neighbourhood kids. No wonder her neighbours are sick of it, all day into the evening dealing with loud kids, and as they’re constantly in her yard you cannot sit on your front porch for a cup of tea or whatever without having peace and quiet interrupted at all hours of the day and night, not to mention having no privacy with kids right in from if you or to the side. I would go insane!
Thank you for this. Where we live in California, having even one child is a status symbol because most people cannot afford children here. To expect dozens of other people (it is that tightly packed) to listen to your child shriek and scream from 6:30 am to 9 pm most days of the week (with Nanny or Mommy or Daddy) is grossly unfair and selfish. Ignorant scum of a mother, indeed.
Um courtesy curfew is from 10pm-8am where I live so at 8 kids and adults are allowed to be loud until 10 pm so all of you talking trash about this mom are a bunch of idiots.
AmberLynn…you’re absolutely correct. This is another example of a narcissistic mother…one who raises her offspring to feel entitled in life with no regard for anyone else…and when those same offspring neglect to acknowledge these parents in the future, she can look back on their upbringing because she’s raising like children, narcissistic and self-centred like herself!!!
This article is trash. Learn to fucking control your kids. Ignorant scum of a mother.
Honestly they probably didnt state their name because of the fact you probably will try to fight them or start even more drama. You that thick skulled?
No they are just hypocrites !
Who is the writer of this article??
Giving points to the noisy little brats mother….
I have kids…. They play together outside without having to scream, shriek, yell etc.
If they do, I go and tell them nicely, to quiet it down a bit. Simple.
But to let them scream and wail and shriek at the tops of their lungs whenever they are outside would be grossley irresponsible for me as a parent.
The article writer obviously has no idea about the difference between well behaved, respectful children and the little, uncontrolled horrors that she has used in her article.
A letter to council or their rental manager is in order.
And if it doesnt stop, then the police are called. Simple.
Nah, I’m with the letter writers. If it was students having a party I doubt there would be the same entitiled self righteous attitude towards this. Somehow we’re supposed to accept it because it is “wholesome socially desirable noise?” The attitude of superiority here is amazing. I don’t care where the noise is coming from, if you’re disturbing people at their home then I’m not ok with that. To be honest I’d prefer people playing loud music and throwing parties to screaming and screeching.
Entitled parents who don’t care how their family are affecting others, and think the rest of the world should make constant concessions for them are literally the worst people.
I believe everybody would prefer music to screeching and yelling. But music is not socially acceptable noise like screeching. Which is horrible but saying this a taboo.
Even if there is a simple choice of going to a park or destroying your neighbors life many choose the latter because they can. It is power and domination.
I believeit is a part of the patriarchy that some noises are socially acceptable. It used to be that men were making noise in the country. They also raped their servants if they liked. Sex was seen as their need and bursting out to people as well.
Now that men are less entitled perhaps than they used to be, the mental health officials, like psychologists, school system and the law have brought about this permission for families to feel entitled. bougeoisie middleclass privileges, the ones in poorer suburbs are not half as noisy. It is a power thing that has to do with patriarchal values.
Anybody understands that you are terrorizing other peooles lives since not even kids whennot particioatin, like to lisren to schreeching.
All it would take was to say that there are other people here and do you like it if i shout anf yell but parents of schreeching never say.
Usually if a neighbour dares say anything the situatuion has been going on for long. Parks are good. No noise because of space. Take them away from people please
The fact this article is written by a Canadian who floats in a pool watching princess movies (i.e; does nothing) just pisses me off more. In Canada, our warm backyard afternoons are few and far between and mine are always under attack by my neighbours’ constantly shrieking and squealing kids ALL day. All surrounding backyards are sick of it. Unfortunately western style parenting says all kids are great the way they are and that’s why campuses are full of equally entitled brats demanding safe spaces. Keep it up parents, you’ll reap what you sow.
We just got new neighbors last week and I already hate them. They have three VERY LOUD children that scream outside every evening. Right now it’s well past 9:00 and they are outside screaming at the top of their lungs. I can already tell that they are a young entitled family. By the looks of their yard you’d think they’ve bought out every toy store hoping to please their little brats, but not once have I heard the parents ask the kids to quiet down because we have neighbors. Our entire road was tranquility until the neighbors beside us sold their house to this nightmare of a family. We have all older, mainly retired people in our general area. My husband and I are not that old, and we have older kids who are very quiet and respectful. I can’t stand parents that have little respect for their neighbors and don’t teach their kids manners. The world does not revolve around your brats. Get a clue!
OK…I have to agree with the majority of these comments…kids are being raised by narcissistic parents who are oblivious to the world around them & just don’t care about others. Here is my advice and something I had to resort to because a newly “blended” family moved in next door, therefore, no one had any control over the unruly screamers (with a pool, of course). After speaking with the so-called mom several times about all these kids who would sit on “our” property dividing wall, I planted large bee-attracting bushes/plants along our side…needless to say, the demon-seed children never sat up on our wall again which really kept the noise down. You could try placing potted bee-attracting planters near where these little monsters run & play. It’s an awful situation to be in and I totally sympathize with you…what’s wrong with this entitled generation & lack of concern for one another???
Listen kids are nosy but people are nosey people should worry about them selves not others
I have the same problem, from 6pm till 9pm neighbors kids scream, and I mean like they being murdered!!! Bazooka comes to minds lol JK….but yeah that is indeed a seriously arrogant self-righteous horrible mother that responded, she just doesn’t care about others at all, and is so neglegent allowing kids outside in the dark alone till 11pm, it’s shocking, her kids should be taken away from her
Typical parent… you have to put up with my kids because I have to.
Also she’s barely literate. “That would be … myself”. You can be yourself, sure, but being yourself isn’t an answer. Does she mean me? That would be me? I think she does.
It’s absolutely terrible having to live next door to anti-social people. There are parks for children to run round in. It’s absolutely disrespectful to let children run around screaming and shouting daily until 11pm at night. This is obviously a narcissistic anti social neighbour letting a good portion of the neighbourhood kids run riot. As a parent you are response-able for controlling your your children. Have some respect for the surrounding neighbours who to have the right to enjoy their life and sit in their garden too.
WOW!!! Every single person who had some nasty snide comment should feel absolutely ashamed of themselves for mommy shaming this woman.
You don’t know her, you don’t her kids, and I seriously doubt any of you self righteous jerks have had 12 kids of your own plus the neighborhood kids running around your house.
All of you that said my kids would NEVER blah blah blah, well that’s because your kids were probably at this mom’s house with her kids driving the poor woman crazy. So yeah if I were her, I’d say,”Take it outside kiddos!”
I said what I said.
Terrorising is a too strong word to use on Kids. But I can understand how angry that neighbour or neighbours could be. I experience the same problem here since the new neighbour moved in last year. And you find there is basically no help provided by the government or organisation to help solve the issue, expect the advice of talking with your neighbour. That’s why I end up here, try to find is there any good solution provided online.
Of course, for a mom with few children she might already do her best, but the neighbours who live around her house could really be deeply troubled by her children’s noise. otherwise, who will go the extra length nowadays to write a letter.
About talking with the mom and dad directly, what you should say? “Please teach your children to consider about others, it’s not only your backyards, and suggest them that they are not being a good parent?!” It’s hard to do than say.
I just know, since my new neighbour move in, I rarely go to backyard, and I rarely hear my other neighbours chatting in the backyards like they used to.
There is difference between occasionally noisy and keep shouting and screaming and bouncing ball for 2 or 3 hours everyday, especially in the weekend.
Everyone has equally rights to enjoy their backyards. No one should ask for the special treatment because their special circumstance. We should all think for each other, and this is the right thing to do.
Sorry, but the answer this Mum gave was the WORSE. So her excuse is that the neighbour didn’t talk that in person and sent a letter instead?
I can give you an example, my upstairs neighbour have kids that run from 6 am to midnight and I just cannot enjoy staying at home because of them. I tried to knock on their door, I called them and no one answered. So what’s the excuse?
If she is teaching their kids to treat others as they would like to be treated, so they should respect others right to relax in peace so one day, they receive the same thing back. She said just non-sense and was a hypocrite.
I don’t understand why the letter writer should go to the door in person. “And resolve the problam together”
Only the ones who are responsible for the problem ie screeching can resolve the problem ie stop it. But they decide that it is ok other people cannot use their gardens or even enjoy their homes or have peace and quiet because their offspring are entitled to destroy other peoples lives and terrorize them.
She also admits she herself knows what the problem is and doesn’t like it inside her house. And tells the brats to go out if she herself cant take it and ruin the luives of many more.
What do you mean outside voices. Outside more people suffer from the noise than inside. Why cant they yell inside if they must. There only their sekfish parents would have to listen to it. Why should they torment strangers who didnt ask the brats to be born instead of their parents.
It’s selfish to allow kids to make all this noise just because it is allowed. Have some consideration for your neighbours and stop expecting everyone to tolerate your children.
Breaking news. Some people choose not to have children and don’t want to be disturbed because people who did choose to can’t take responsibility for their choices. Don’t make it everyone’s problem in the neighbourhood that you had a kid but didn’t bother to learn how to raise it. Don’t get mad when people tell you to be a parent to your child….