AITA for telling my neighbour I will just blast music over her kids yelling?

Ellen Andrade Hours
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The quiet hum of a new home is a dream—until it’s pierced by the high-pitched screams of neighborhood kids. For one 26-year-old woman, her fresh start in a newly purchased house came with an unexpected soundtrack: her neighbor’s three young children, whose yells could rival a rock concert. When her neighbor casually warned her about the noise, she quipped she’d drown it out with metal and punk pop, sparking tension faster than a mosh pit.

This Reddit saga unfolds with sharp wit and relatable frustration, pulling readers into a clash of neighborly boundaries and parenting styles. As the drama brews, it raises a question we’ve all faced: how do you handle noise when everyone’s just trying to live? Let’s dive into this lively tale of speakers, screams, and subtle shade.

‘AITA for telling my neighbour I will just blast music over her kids yelling?’

I (f26) moved into a new house that I purchased. My new neighbour a two days later came over to say hello and asked if we had kids. I said no and she pretty much said (not word for word) 'oh I hope you don't mind all the noise mine make, they can get very loud'. She has 3 kids, which I'm guessing are all under 6 and I've already heard them.

I haven't finished unpacking yet but where I used to live, when I heard kids of any age making too much noise (namely screaming and yelling) I just drowned it out with music. I plan on doing this once I get my speaker unpacked. If it's a baby crying or a birthday party, obviously I wouldn't play music so ***please use common sense*** when thinking what scenarios this would apply to..

I responded to her 'oh that's fine, I'll probably just drown any screaming out with music anyways' She seemed a bit annoyed and asked what type of music, to which I told her mainly metal or punk pop (it's still 2004 to 2012 in my Spotify, it's not a phase). She seemed unimpressed and said that's not really okay.

I told her that if she can't teach her kids to be respectful of neighbours at appropriate hours, I don't really see the issue. She huffed off. I've never had complaints from neighbours prior to this. While I understand, most people might not appreciate hearing music blasting, most probably put the two cents together that it only happens when they're kids are obnoxiously noisy.

I previously haven't had to do this often but I have feeling, this might be a more regular occurrence at my new address.. So reddit, aita? Open minded to that we both might suck here. I have no problem with her children's play noise as long as I can drown it out with something more soothing on the ears.

I would only do this when it gets to yelling and screaming. I'm okay with general play noise happening as I do like think of myself as reasonable. Fwiw, it seems like her kids are fans of constant pointless yelling while playing.

All of my 10 nieces/nephews have slowly learnt that randomly yelling is rude so I don't know if this is a parenting issue on my neighbours part or if I have randomly well behaved nieces/nephews. The previous owner had kids, my guess is they used to play together so perhaps they haven't had to think about being mindful of others yet who do not wish to hear constant kid noise..

UPDATE EDIT: I have now spoken to my neighbour on the other side and apparently the whole fam is terrible and the mum was only asking if I had kids to check whether I'm anti-vax because she only wants her kids to play with kids whose parents who have the same ethics. I'm on day 4 here now and I can confirm for sure these kids are the worst. Neighbour agrees we should play something loudly. We're thinking pro-vaccinating podcasts.

Neighbor disputes over noise can feel like a battle of wills, where everyone’s just trying to carve out their peace. This story highlights a classic tension: balancing personal comfort with community coexistence. According to Dr. Irene S. Levine, a psychologist specializing in relationships, “Good fences make good neighbors, but open communication builds better ones” .

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The OP’s instinct to counter noise with music stems from frustration, while the neighbor’s preemptive warning suggests awareness but little action. Both are staking their ground, yet neither seems ready to compromise. Dr. Levine’s insight points to dialogue as a fix—perhaps a chat about “quiet hours” could ease the strain.

This issue mirrors broader social challenges: about 1 in 5 Americans report neighbor conflicts, often over noise . The OP’s blunt response, while satisfying, risks escalating a feud, especially with the neighbor’s apparent anti-vax stance adding fuel. A sarcastic jab might feel good, but it rarely lowers decibels.

Instead, experts suggest setting boundaries early. The OP could propose a schedule for loud playtime or invest in noise-canceling headphones for herself. Dr. Levine emphasizes empathy: understanding the neighbor’s parenting challenges might open doors to mutual respect. Starting with kindness could turn this noise war into a truce.

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Let’s dive into the reactions from Reddit:

The Reddit crew didn’t hold back, serving a spicy mix of cheers and jeers for our music-blasting heroine. Here’s the raw scoop from the crowd:

creg316 − NTA - you don't get to warn people about how much noise comes from your property, and then tell them you don't accept that noise might come from theirs.. Apply music with some discretion and you're NTA.

Bluesky0089 − NTA. She warned you of her noise. You warned her of yours. Tit for tat. I’d suggest not letting this become a noise war, though.

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dark_rainbows − NTA. Love the choice of music. Your neighbor is going to be loud and she knows it. If music doesn't work and they get that loud play porn on full blast until she gets her kids to stop screaming. Fight screaming with screaming if you will.

CapitalAssociation40 − I see this as a - I'm gonna have myself a jam session when your kids are screeching like wild animals- situation. Let's face it, sometimes a group of kids is going to get out of control. That's not the issue.

The issue is when that crazy happens on a regular basis. I do the parent thing and my 7f kiddo knows that generally speaking, screaming is reserved for distress. We don't scream when we play.. Nta. Neighbors suck.

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agletsmycat − NTA. She showed up basically saying, “my kids are super loud and are going to annoy you. Enjoy!”

ketopepito − ESH. I would hate to be the other neighbors who have to listen to screaming kids AND s**tty Good Charlotte songs.

[Reddit User] − NTA. I understand kids will be kids but that doesn’t mean HER kids have to be everyone else’s problem.

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Calismax − EHS - yes i know i know controversial indeed but..... im guessing more than just you two live in the area, you could use headphones to drown out the sounds OR you could blast your music out to mask out the neighbour,

and upset the others in your area cos now not only do they have the kids screaming but they got your music on top of that bit unfair to them. If you leave it to just the kids making noise and subtly bring it up to others in the area maybe they to will tell her to reign her kids in. FAILING that then pull out the ol' PA and blast those fuckers out

[Reddit User] − NTA- sh'e not the only one allowed to make noise. It seems this neighbor may have had problems in the past with others, hence the warning. Just know the local noise ordinance in your area - usually noise volume shouldn't matter during the day. Who knows - maybe her kids will start to dig your music and quiet down, hahaha

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ZirriQ − YTA - Seeing as you purchased your home, I’m guessing you’re planning to spend more than a year or two in that location. The other neighbors probably aren’t going anywhere either. You don’t have to be best friends with your neighbors, but it’s a lot easier to coexist if you’re civil and polite to each other.

You’ve only been there a couple days have haven’t even figured out what “noisy” is for these kids. Fighting fire with fire isn’t likely to do anything other than p**s off your other neighbors or get noise complaints.

If the houses are close together, you might hear a lot in the summer with all the windows open. Remember that you’re not in a rental anymore. If you don’t like it here, it won’t be as easy to just move after a year or two.

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These Redditors swung from fist-pumping the OP’s clapback to side-eyeing her speaker strategy. Some saw the neighbor’s warning as a free pass for chaos; others urged civility to avoid a block-wide feud. But do these hot takes nail the vibe, or are they just turning up the volume?

This tale of screams versus speakers is a reminder that neighborly peace is a two-way street. The OP’s bold move sparked a feud, but it also opened a conversation about boundaries and respect. Whether you’re team metal or team quiet, the story shows how quickly tensions can flare when noise invades our sanctuaries. What would you do if you found yourself in a similar situation? Share your thoughts and experiences below!

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