It’s my own fault really. I knew what I was getting into but thought I could handle it. And I did. At first. But now… Well, someone may need to die.
When I decided to make my seachange I knew that living in a gorgeous apartment building by the ocean would have its downsides. Happily my complex has a good mix of owner/occupied apartments / long-term tenants and holiday rentals. It’s also smaller than the other couple of more upmarket ones so it’s not like there’s hundreds of units. Just 17 in fact, only 7 of which are holiday lets.
I’m not the most tolerant of people so (when moving) I worried about how I would cope with smoking neighbours or noisy families or drunk party animals. But… on the whole there have only been a few blips and it’s mostly been okay.
However, though initially the sounds of children frolicking by the pool was kinda nice and I loved the excited hubbub of new arrivals – eager to start their holiday – I’m thinking that I might need to make myself scarce next Christmas cos this year I’m a bit over it all.
It occurs to me that many of the holidaymakers who are here probably don’t realise that this is ‘home’ to some people, and that there are many living here who go to work each day and so forth. Indeed in the past I’ve stayed in complexes or resorts I’ve pretty much assumed to be full of holiday-makers… so only realise now that may have not been the case. Perhaps there were long-suffering owners or residents locked in their apartments hiding from we pissy chicks talking about men and sex by the pool. Loudly.
Anyone who follows my local Twitter account will have seen a myriad of tweets lately about #TheSquealer. Indeed… my life is being made a misery by a 2yr old toddler and her family who unfortunately are here for TWO BLOODY WEEKS.*
My apartment is right above the pool so it’s probably the place where any visitors can annoy me the most. On rare occasions we’ve had loud holidaymakers (and just last week two young couples who were trying to somersault into the pool after drinking one night!) but they come and go. The rentals aren’t cheap so it’s rare we get anyone TOO feral!
#TheSquealer, however, seems to ONLY be capable of squealing (shrill high-pitched screeches) or crying. Loudly. And she alternates between the two while she’s in the pool. Twice daily for an hour at a time. At least.
Her parents seem quite normal and nice – but do nothing about the noise she makes. The crying I can sympathise with. A bit. I don’t have kids but had a niece I was close to and now have a friend with a toddler I see often. I know what it’s like when kids are upset, but this little girl is ridiculous. The mother saw me shutting my door the other day but still didn’t try and quiet her daughter’s squeals. I can only think she’s used to them and doesn’t notice.
It’s not just (intolerant ole’) me. My mother and I were walking along the esplanade near my apartment yesterday and #TheSquealer and her family were fishing down the road. Well, the parents and older son were fishing. #TheSquealer was squealing. I heard them (her) before I saw them.
“That’ll be #TheSquealer,” I said to my mother. And sure enough there they were.
“Good god!” she said. We were quite a distance away but the high-pitched squeal still extremely loud despite the wind.
IF I heard her mum telling her to ‘use her words’ or shushing her I’d be far less grumpy. Instead I’m kinda tempted to complain to the onsite managers. The manager is usually a bit grumpy with kids in the pool and regularly chastises relatives of another owner whose grandkids squeal and splash about the pool (while the grandmother ignores them and reads!).
On one hand I don’t want to ruin these people’s holiday. But on the other, I’m wondering if they don’t realise how loud and annoying the squeals are.
Of course, I could just continue bitching about #TheSquealer on social media and spend the week counting to 10… and then they’ll be gone.
Any (helpful) advice?
PS. I say helpful cos I realise that most people will probably feel like someone on my FraserCoasting FB page who told me to ‘Suck it up Princess’!!!
* I may be exaggerating slightly. #TheSquealer is not making my entire life a misery – but I live in dread of her heading to the pool and me having to close up my doors and windows for an hour or two each time. I heard the mother telling the boy they were here for 2 weeks so he’d have time to learn to swim. This was a week ago and I hope when she said two weeks, she meant approximately…and meant like… 10 days. Or so.
January 13, 2014
Also a non parent – but I do understand kids make noise. It only bugs me when, like your situation, the parents appear to not do anything about it. Teaching a kid may not help but at least they’re doing something. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the parents having to abide by the same rules as other temporary tenants and limit noise. Or try to. Trying & failing is not shameful. Not trying is. And that goes for way more than a screaming kid.
January 13, 2014
Completely agree. Obviously. I guess I’m paranoid about feeling this way as a non-parent. If I was a parent I’d feel as if I was legitimately allowed to complain / talk about kids cos I was qualified. Just before another family were in the pool and the boys were a bit boisterous and excited but that was it. It didn’t bother me at all.
January 13, 2014
I think the “non parents don’t you dare speak” has gone a little too far these days – you can be respectful of the challenges parents face while also acknowledging that some stuff is plain annoying!
January 13, 2014
Thank goodness it’s only two weeks and they’re not permanent residents. I fully understand how much noise can becomes stressful. I regularly have to cope with the sound of stump grinders that go all day or the musical sound of the tractor mowing the school ground right under my window for hours at a time. In fact that tractor has been getting the grounds prepared today and not ten minutes ago broke down. It was hard not to cheer out loud.
Can I suggest noise-cancelling headphones?
January 13, 2014
I think it’s also the fact that the noise is preventable that irks me. Last year they were rebuilding the seawall opposite where I lived and there were diggers, and jackhammers etc but it was kind of a background noise – but you’re right – it’s only 2 weeks. I’m sure I can handle it!!!
January 13, 2014
I’d be asking management to tell the parents there have been complaints and see if the parents can get the child to be a bit quieter. Happy boisterous kids is one thing. High pitched squealing is another. We had neighbours with a squealer but I was far less annoyed than I could have been as I heard the parents tell her to stop squealing EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. No idea how they put up with it. It just about drove me insane. Good luck.
January 13, 2014
Oh absolutely – if the parents addressed it I’d feel very differently. I might ask the managers if anyone else has said anything.
January 13, 2014
Just to give an alternative (and obviously parental pov) but it is possible that the noise isn’t preventable, I’m pretty sure if it was it would grate on the parents too unless they became immune from desensitisation. Some kids with speech delays and other delays do just squeal to make themselves heard and feel safe. It may not be the case, the parents may just be ignorant arses but I’m always loathed to judge till I’m sure. Plus 2 weeks out of 52, you’ll enjoy the peace when they are gone.
January 13, 2014
Someone on FB wondered if the little girl was autistic Rebecca and I said I did wonder the same thing. I hadn’t heard her speak until today. So it could be something like that.
January 13, 2014
As a parent of older and no longer squealing children, and teacher of sometimes feral Yr 8s, I still commiserate. I have little tolerance of unrelenting noise and hate it when parents let their offspring run amok, inflicting them on the hapless public.
But, before I sound insufferably judgmental, they have Squealer 24/7 ad infinitum, whereas you have a week, or days left… A glass or three of shampers, a bubble bath and one of Beethoven’s concertos (they tend to obliterate all other sounds) should do the trick! 🙂
January 14, 2014
Yes, telling myself I can get through the next few days!
January 13, 2014
It is really hard to make a judgment call on the parenting, as they may have or may be doing a lot more behind the scenes than is apparent to you. And it may even be an improvement from last month’s squealing or the kid may be going through a difficult phase for some reason that totally explains the behavior. Or the parents may just have no clue. It would be hard to handle living right in the3 midst of that for you especially when you have to work and function in real world. I have no real advice it is a hard situation. I unfortunately at times easily could be judged as having squealers even though mine are fairly quiet they all have their moments and phases.
January 14, 2014
Most kids who stay here are probably more like yours (‘cept the pesky grandkids of one of the owners!) and are just noisy from time to time. I tend to be able to zone them out mostly.
January 14, 2014
I have to confess to letting out an evil sounding giggle….ooops 🙂 Seriously though, it is annoying- & I’d echo every one of the comments above. From a healthy distance of a couple of thousand kilometres away, I’d say grit your teeth, have a bubbly & be glad you’re not living with it…& continue to bitch about it on social media 😉 Squealers, wow I’m glad I didn’t have one of those…or maybe I did, & I just didn’t know it?????
January 14, 2014
Maybe there parents are ignorant – although… for the first time I could hear the little girl crying a lot last night. Perhaps there is something else going on with her.