Please tell me if this is unreasonable ...

MrsBatty · September 2010

The guy who lives next to us seems so ALWAYS be mowing his lawn when I put Ella down for a nap.

It's awful. She's already woken up once crying. Her bedroom window over looks his lawn and it gets loud in her room when he walks by her window.

Would it be unreasonable for me to walk over there and ask that he just not mow between 10:30 and 12:30 each day?

I can see him out there right now and I'm holding my breath that she doesn't wake up crying again.

I'm so tired.

Courtney&Jason · September 2010

I can see if it were 6 am, but asking him to not mow his lawn in the middle of the day is unreasonable. Just my opinion.

Can you use a white noise machine?

ladysingstheblues · September 2010

Eh, I feel ya, but that might be unreasonable. Unless you're friendly with your neighbors. If you have a good rapport, then yes, I'd ask.

Tomkat8403 · September 2010

Honestly...I totally feel you on this. I would want to do the same thing. But I don't think he would take too kindly to your request. That's just what my gut tells me. He will think it's unreasonable to have to accomodate your child's sleeping schedule.

That sucks though. I'm sorry.

fairychick77 · September 2010

Yes I think that is somewhat unreasonable.

He mows his lawn every single day?

MrsBatty · September 2010

Courtney&Jason:
I can see if it were 6 am, but asking him to not mow his lawn in the middle of the day is unreasonable. Just my opinion.
Can you use a white noise machine?

Thanks for your honesty. She has a fan going but the mower is super loud. He has two mowers, a weed whacker, and an edger.

He's retired. That's pretty much all he does.

kiwi443 · September 2010

I wouldn't say anything, but I can understand why it's annoying.

MrsBatty · September 2010

fairychick77:
Yes I think that is somewhat unreasonable.
He mows his lawn every single day?

thanks.

yep, it's his hobby I swear to god.

MrsBatty · September 2010

Tomkat8403:
Honestly...I totally feel you on this. I would want to do the same thing. But I don't think he would take too kindly to your request. That's just what my gut tells me. He will think it's unreasonable to have to accomodate your child's sleeping schedule.
That sucks though. I'm sorry.

Yeah, you're right. Thanks for that. I was about to stomp over there.

MrsBeckO · September 2010

If it was a neighbor I was friendly with, I'd politely ask. If I didn't have much of a relationship with him, then no I wouldn't.

I'm so sorry though.. I know how much that sucks.

ivs112 · September 2010

Have you tried using a fan or something to drown out the noise? I wouldn't ask but hey, you never know, he may agree.

fairychick77 · September 2010

MrsBatty:
fairychick77:
Yes I think that is somewhat unreasonable.
He mows his lawn every single day?
thanks.
yep, it's his hobby I swear to god.

That's really frustrating. I'm sorry

MrsBatty · September 2010

ivs112:
Have you tried using a fan or something to drown out the noise? I wouldn't ask but hey, you never know, he may agree.

Yeah, there is a fan going ... ::sigh::

Courtney&Jason · September 2010

MrsBatty:
Courtney&Jason:

I can see if it were 6 am, but asking him to not mow his lawn in the middle of the day is unreasonable. Just my opinion.

Can you use a white noise machine?

Thanks for your honesty. She has a fan going but the mower is super loud. He has two mowers, a weed whacker, and an edger.

He's retired. That's pretty much all he does.

I hear ya. I have a retired neighbor that mows his lawn 3x a week.

On the bright side, lawn mowing season is almost over.

MrsBatty · September 2010

Courtney&Jason:
MrsBatty:
Courtney&Jason:

I can see if it were 6 am, but asking him to not mow his lawn in the middle of the day is unreasonable. Just my opinion.
Can you use a white noise machine?
Thanks for your honesty. She has a fan going but the mower is super loud. He has two mowers, a weed whacker, and an edger.
He's retired. That's pretty much all he does.
I hear ya. I have a retired neighbor that mows his lawn 3x a week.
On the bright side, lawn mowing season is almost over.

I was just getting excited about that ... but then my other neighbors warned me about his snow blowing tendencies.

FML.

kbs0929 · September 2010

can you move her into another room for naptime, the room that is furthest away from his mowing?

Courtney&Jason · September 2010

MrsBatty:
Courtney&Jason:
MrsBatty:
Courtney&Jason:

I can see if it were 6 am, but asking him to not mow his lawn in the middle of the day is unreasonable. Just my opinion.

Can you use a white noise machine?

Thanks for your honesty. She has a fan going but the mower is super loud. He has two mowers, a weed whacker, and an edger.

He's retired. That's pretty much all he does.

I hear ya. I have a retired neighbor that mows his lawn 3x a week.

On the bright side, lawn mowing season is almost over.

I was just getting excited about that ... but then my other neighbors warned me about his snow blowing tendencies.

FML.

LOL. Pray for a mild winter!

MrsBatty · September 2010

kbs0929:
can you move her into another room for naptime, the room that is furthest away from his mowing?

Not really ... she sleeps in her room... in her crib.

I can't really move the crib just for nap time. I don't even think it fits out the door of her room.

kes3237 · September 2010

Yes, I think it's unreasonable. Unfortunately, it's one of those things you're just going to have to deal with. Have you tried white noise? Is her window closed? I know these things are annoying. Our very loud garbage truck empties our building's dumpster at 6 am every Monday morning. Very annoying.

mavilabride4evah · September 2010

Yes it is.

The fan probably isn't enough to drown out the noise. I would invest in a sound machine.

MrsBatty · September 2010

kes3237:
Yes, I think it's unreasonable. Unfortunately, it's one of those things you're just going to have to deal with. Have you tried white noise? Is her window closed? I know these things are annoying. Our very loud garbage truck empties our building's dumpster at 6 am every Monday morning. Very annoying.

Yes and yes. For more information please see above.

MrsBatty · September 2010

welp, she's back up. ttyl.

ljlkm · September 2010

I would ask. But I would approach it as you're asking for a ginormous favor. Acknowledge you have no right to even ask and you understand he has every right to say no, but would he please consider mowing earlier in the morning. Work the pity. Smile

kb5302 · September 2010

I may be the minority but I would def ask.. If someone asked that of me and I was home all day and retired I would not be bothered by it.. I understand what it is like to have a baby who can't nap, it is miserable, Just be super sweet and explain the situation and ask if there is any way he could hold off between those hours.. It can't hurt to ask, maybe he will say yes.. go for it!

erino&chrish · September 2010

I can see how that is hard, but I wouldn't say anything to him. Can you put white noise like a fan in her room and start making a little more noise during naptime so she will start sleeping through things?

katekirschner · September 2010

Yeah, it is unreasonable. In a few months when your DD goes to one nap or a later one are you going to go back over and ask him not to mow from 1-3?

nmr79 · September 2010

I feel your pain! The house next door was torn down right before I had DD (almost a year ago). They've been building a new house for about 10 months, and it's f'ing loud! They start at 7 am, and don't leave until almost 7 pm. It's ridiculous, and I can't believe it is taking them this long. The thing that has worked mostly for us, is a white noise CD. I can get that louder than any fan or sound machine. DD sleeps fine through it, except for last Friday, when they decided to jackhammer the driveway that they had just poured. I ended up just putting the pack and play in my bedroom, since it is on the other side of the house. Will she nap in a pnp? Sorry.:(

Smudges*Mom · September 2010

I'm in the unreasonable request camp. It sucks and I'm sorry that you are having to deal with this. I would layer white noise sounds. Keep the fan, and add a humidifier, white noise machine and/or music. And, IMO, putting her down in a pnp, in a room farther from the noise is always an option. I understand that you prefer that she nap in her crib, but, IMO, a good nap in a pnp is better than an interrupted nap in her crib. Plus, it can help her learn and be comfortable napping in other locations. Best of luck. I understand some of your frustration, the city has been doing road/utility work in our neighborhood for weeks.

StinaSLC · September 2010

I just wanted to give some support for you -- I totally can relate and am SO livid when an outside occurrence cuts my DS' naptime short. I know it is a sucky situation and I feel your pain!

I think it doesn't hurt to ask or broach the subject with him. If you are super sweet and he is a kindly old grandfather type (just wishful thinking?) maybe it will work out. He has no idea that he is disrupting the nap, so maybe he will be helpful and your worries will be over! Doesn't hurt to try and at least then you feel like you gave it a shot. Good luck!

HoonFan · September 2010

Annoying? Yes. Unreasonable? Yes.

mfransdell · September 2010

Oh Batty, you'd look like a nut if you went over there asking him to kindly keep his gardening to fit Es sched. I can relate though. My neighbor likes to relax at night with a little woodworking in his side yard, big old saws and all. As in right after we put C down for bed. Then we have the family who likes to throw karaoke (sp?) parties every weekend.....

kit443 · September 2010

You could always write him a letter. It can't hurt to ask. He may think you are nutty but do you care? As long as he isn't going to get mad and start mowing just to spite you I don't see it getting much worse. If he is retired then maybe his schedule is flexible enough to move things around a bit. Bake him some cookies or something.

Mrs.Hizzo · September 2010

Yes, it's unreasonable, but I think it sucks and I'm sorry for you. We have a neighbor kid who races up and down our street every summer day on his muffler-less dirt bike, always right after lunch and always right when the kids go down. I fantasize about breaking in to his garage and doing something incapacitating to the motor. But I'm in the same boat, it's a free country and I can't tell him not to do it.

wellfleet04 · September 2010

It totally sucks, but it's not like he's doing it at 4 am. I think you're being unreasonable. It's YOUR responsibility to figure out a solution to your DD's sleep issue, not his. White noise, move the crib, whatever it takes. I totally feel for you, that stinks, but it's definitely not your right to dictate when your neighbors can do perfectly reasonable things like mow their lawns in the middle of a weekday. Sorry

Moon_Safari · September 2010

I personally wouldn't say anything. You could possibly rub them the wrong way...remember you have to live next to these people for who knows how long. I know what you're going through though. I live next to the loudest neighbors. They have a couple of motorcycles that they are always warming up and their 2 daughters have the loudest boyfriends that come over everyday with their booming systems in their cars. I just grin and bare it. I really can't wait to move.

kellsdanz · September 2010

MrsBatty:
kbs0929:
can you move her into another room for naptime, the room that is furthest away from his mowing?
Not really ... she sleeps in her room... in her crib.
I can't really move the crib just for nap time. I don't even think it fits out the door of her room.

Do you have a playard/playpen? You could set that up in a different room for her to sleep in.

Echowysp · September 2010

Meh, i don't see the harm in nicely asking. Shoot, i'd want to know if me cutting my lawn at a certain time woke up a baby. If he can't do it another time, he'd tell you.

taliaheartchris · September 2010

we have a neighbor like that. He mows every other day... we use a white noise machine, which helps. I don't think he would appreciate it if we asked him not to mow then, because it is what he does while his wife is at work. Keeps him busy.

Echowysp · September 2010

taliaheartchris:
we have a neighbor like that. He mows every other day... we use a white noise machine, which helps. I don't think he would appreciate it if we asked him not to mow then, because it is what he does while his wife is at work. Keeps him busy.

Man, you guys must live in crabby neighborhoods. I swear, if my neighbor came up to me and nicely said "Hey, I'm sure I'm being a pain, but ds has become such a light sleeper and naps right around the time you start mowing. Would it be too much to ask if you do it a little earlier? I'll bake you as many apple pies as you can eat!", I'd have to be a complete a$$ to say no and keep mowing at that exact time.

This country has become so weird with being PC. People can't tell their best friends about the newest car seat recommendation from the AAP because it's "none of their business". People can't politely ask their neighbor if they could maybe chose a different time to mow a lawn because 'it's a free country and good god, the man's got a right to mow his lawn whenever he so chooses! So your kid's just gonna have to deal or you'll look like a weirdo" Stepford friends/neighbors.....

becketts · September 2010

Just thinking outside the box ... any chance you could move your LO's naptime to a bit later in the day? I'm not sure if that's genius or even more unreasonable than talking with your neighbor. Stick out tongue