Received Saturday, September 16, 2006
I live in a nice building on the Upper West Side and try to be neighborly to everyone who lives in and around my building. The woman who lives above me is a WOHM (Works outside the home) with a nanny and 2 preschool aged children. I don't know what the nanny does up there but the children run around like wild Indians every minute they are home. It sounds like a train running across my head every minute excepting when the children are at school, their mother is home or ten minutes before the mother comes home. It is like clockwork, I swear. Normalcy returns in preparation for the mother's return. She is recently divorced and I really like this woman. My question, if I were to speak to her about my observations, would they come across as petty and motivated only by my own inconvenience caused by the noise of the out of control children? I cannot explain to you how loud they are but at the same time, I have no information at all to suggest that it has anything to do with inferior child care. I'll be honest, I would really like the noise to stop but I am also concerned that the two children (boys) could be hurt with all of the constant ruckus. Please post this for me as it's own post so that other wohm mothers can respond back to me with their thoughts.
19 comments:
In NYC a certain % of the floor is required to be covered by a rug or carpet to reduce noise. Check their rug situation. I think this is your problem. If not, then I would ask the nanny if the boys could take their shoes off in the house. Kids running around, occasional loud parties etc. are part of apt. living.
Normal developmental behavior for preschoolers is to run. Get over it or move.
why would an idiot post such a response as above? The person who posted her question seemed polite. And non stop running in a home is not normal "pre school" development. I would make a friend of the nanny and tell make sure she is aquainted with all of the neighborhood parks and indoor playspaces. I have neighbors upstairs too and I hear running. I put up with up but if there is such a discernable difference between the running when the mother is home and when the nanny is home, obviously the children are running too much! But as for the respondant above, what is your deal with the rudeness? Or are you raising animals?
Befriend the nanny. Even tell her you live downstairs and are a stay at home mom. Maybe in the building, alot of people are gone throughout the day so she thinks it is okay for the kids to be wilder? Once she realizes someone is underfoot, I bet it quiets down a little!
"Wild Indians"? Why not "Crazy Whiteys"?
Oh give me a break! "Wild indians" is not about the color or some (of your) imagined superiority/inferiority complex. Have you ever seen a kids movie with indians? Ever seen indian dancing? And just who is it you think children are immitating when the run around wildly, making a loud, high poitched noise with their voice, and smacking their mouths? Here's a hint: INDIANS! Whoever posted the "wild indians" comment was not being hateful, it's called painting a mental picture. Or, if you'd prefer, it's also called a figure of speech.
Please don't breed.
Are you kidding?! The "wild indians" comment is not meant to describe a skin color or some (of your) imagined superiority/inferiority complex. Have you ever seen childrens indian movies? Have you ever seen indian dancing? And just who do you think children are immitating when they run about (quite wildly, I might add) screaming and smacking their mouths?? Here's a hint: INDIANS!
Whoever posted the "wild indians" comment wasn't being a racist (although you are). She was painting a mental picture with a very common, non-racist comment! It's called a figure of speech. And a harmless at that, if people like you wouldn't think before you react.
Please don't breed.
what the bejebus are "children's indian movies"??? Do you have a special line of movies just for kids that depict native americans wildly running around and whooping? And these are the "wild" variety of indians?
And, just to be geographically clear, Indian people come from India.
If I am going to suggest that any people around here tie up their tubes, it would be the really ignorant ones.
Cripes.
I'm not interested in helping you solve your problem with your upstairs neighbors. Anyone who would use the term "wild indians" has more serious problems to work out. It unbelievable how oblivious some people can be. Stop worrying about the noise and deal with your insidious racism first.
seriously, ye all need to get a life. jane doe, tell the mum about the noise. let her deal with the problem. or else as the other lady said, befriend the nanny and she will keep it calm when she knows you are at home.
i cant believe so many people have written about the wild indians comment. sooo sooo sad.
sounds like normal child behavior to run around, especially if its forbidden when mom's at home.
"wild native americans"
"wild aboriginal persons"
BTW, most "native Americans" refer to themselves as "Indians." The more you know!
I commented yesterday, where did it go??
OK, here goes again. That's what kids that age DO. They LEARN from doing, touching, expressing, interacting, moving, and observing. It would be a sign of impending disaster and dysfunctional childhood if they sat docile and still, quiet as mice all day. Better than them sitting and staring passively at a TV screen for hours at a time.
I really hope the comment shows up this time?!
Sorry to hear you have had problems commenting on the posts.
Guess what? Preschool aged children run around like silly puppies. They make LOTS of noise. They jump, holler, laugh, fall down, get up again and make MORE noise.
But you have the right to GENTLY ask the nanny to keep the noise to a minimum when she's able to. Do NOT bug her employer about this. Do NOT make the nanny look bad. Chances are the nanny is playing with the kids and allowing them to ENJOY THEIR DAY (what a concept). If you really can't take it, move to a building where children aren't allowed.
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