Kids next door - how do you deal?

O

OldCorpse

Rockin the Boat
Two weeks ago, a couple moved into the aparment next door to mine. They have two small kids around like 1 year and 2 years old. They cry seemingly at all hours. I find it superhard to concentrate on editing during this time.

How to deal with this? On the one hand I like kids (though I don't have any of my own), and I totally understand their importance in society. On the other, I'm going crazy. So far I've been super-nice to the parents, and I'd never blame them - what can you do, the kids cry, and that's it.

I was considering moving, but I have a good deal here, and there's no guarantee the same thing won't happen again at the new place. Finding somewhere else to work is not practical on account of my having to move my entire set-up, even if I could pay for an office.

Has anyone else ever faced anything like this?

P.S. I really love kids, and have nothing against them. It's a purely practical issue.
 
Infants cry

One day you'll understand; and one day someone will be wondering why your kids are crying.

Move the editing station maybe ? Trust me. The parents are more stressed than you are about it.
 
Unfortunately I need to hear, as I'm working on dialogue at the moment - and I can hear the screaming through the headphones.

Re: John, yes, I totally don't blame the kids or anybody, like I say, it's purely a practical issue. Getting an office is not in the cards at this point, but I may be forced to do something soon, as this is just not workable... maybe work in my friend's garage?

Just wondering how other people solved such problems.
 
I think that may be the problem

Even speaking with the parents cannot help the sitchy

They're probably feeling like the living dead during this time (Due to no sleep)

-

Are you on a laptop or a workstation ?
 
Unfortunately, your options are few. Most, but not all, kids get over the crying stage. :) So, if you can deal with it, they'll get older and stop crying or the family will probably move to a bigger place. Evolution has designed crying to be supremely annoying, so you get up and take care of the kid instead of watching The Deadliest Catch and eating doritos.
 
Work station, 3 monitors, bunch of external HDDs.

Well, "evolution" must have programmed me to really take care of kids, cause the crying totally affects me - I literally cannot concentrate on anything else. Maybe I'd make a great dad :)

I was considering tranquilizers... had a few shots of jack daniel, but it had negative impact on my work. Maybe valium?
 
I have a drum set in my room, and to block out all of the sound from the rest of my house I put up egg crates (not the things that go over kinos). They block out sound pretty well.

They make high-end sound pads which may help you out too.

Here's what I'd do:

1) Talk to them. Maybe there's something they could do. Be nice about it (not saying you wouldn't be).
2) Line your editing room with sound pads.
3) Get really good headphones that are closed-ear. Noise-canceling headphones won't work, they only block out white noise.
 
Is there another apartment in the building? It sounds like you're going to have to move. Until then, try in-ear monitors--they block out most anything.
 
I considered sound-proofing, but I got large windows, and the wife absolutely will not let me block them off... and the sound just pours in through them.

I'm reluctant to talk to the parents, cause it really is not their fault, and there's nothing much they can do about it (I think?). I figure they got enough stress as it is.

I think i got to find a way to chill. Seriously, maybe some kinda pills... what could I take that would chill me out, but not affect my work, and not get me hooked on something nasty?
 
I have a really good deal rent-wise and in every other way (great location, lovely bungalow style apartment in a 1928 building), so my wife would not be happy at all about moving. Anyhow, I think you totally hit it right about the evolution thing... my wife claims some people are just strong responders to kids voices... apparently I am, she's not as much... I don't mind other noise so much (say, traffic, or music), but when a kid cries, I listen intensely - I actually have to fight an impluse to knock on their door and beg them to let me take care of the kid as something is obviously wrong... crazy, I know.
 
You need to get better headphones like the senn HD280 pro. I can't hear a damn thing on the outside when I have them on.
 
OldCorpse said:
I think i got to find a way to chill. Seriously, maybe some kinda pills... what could I take that would chill me out, but not affect my work, and not get me hooked on something nasty?
Click to expand...

yeah, this sounds like a winning strategy...
 
They should be super quiet then I would think. They totally cut out the outside noise to me. Maybe you are so sensitive to it now you actually listen for the crying no matter how faint. There is a dog that barks all day upstairs here and I can't hear him at all when I put the headphones on and he is crazy loud and annoying.
 
I'm so glad my daughter was never a crying one... But, another one on the way in November, so maybe I'll get lucky...

Sounds like better headphones would be the best, cheapest option... Noise cancelling headphones or something, maybe.

And stop thinking about them crying all the time... I think you are letting it bother you more and more as time goes by.

Jason
 
John_Hudson said:
Infants cry

One day you'll understand; and one day someone will be wondering why your kids are crying.

Move the editing station maybe ? Trust me. The parents are more stressed than you are about it.
Click to expand...

soooooooooo very true indeed :crybaby:
 
It could be worse- I used to live under a family who's kids were up every morning at the crack of dawn, jumping and dancing to the Spice Girls at full volume. I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want... no kids upstairs!
 
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