Woman reports neighbor's 'menacing children'; gets mom fined $4,000. AITA?

Loud neighbors can be an infuriating problem as the one place where you should be able to avoid the often obnoxious noise of the world should be your home...

While normal sounds such as walking, cooking, televisions, or the occasional party can't be avoided when you live in an apartment building, what do you do when you're forced to listen to screaming children every morning when the sun rises?

So, when a conflicted woman decided to consult the moral compass of the internet otherwise known as Reddit's 'Am I the As*hole' about her annoying neighbors, people were ready to help deem a verdict.

"AITA for being fed up with the menacing children living above us?"

Me (22F) and boyfriend (23M) live in a beautiful luxury apartment complex, literally everything is perfect about the townhomes and apartments they’re well kept never have any issues with people or their dogs it’s quite blissful.

We moved in end of December two days after the neighbors above us (we're 3rd floor they’re 4th and top floor).

Neighbors above us have 3 children under the age of 5. We live boring lives as we each work very high stress jobs and just like to relax when we get home. Everyday since the day we moved in the 3 children above us are menaces from 5 am to 12am everyday no matter what, moving furniture, bashing heavy things on the ground, throwing themselves in the floor having temper tantrums, and sumo wrestling from what it sounds.

After a week of this I decided one night to go introduce myself in case they forgot people lived under them. The mom answered the door and I introduced myself as the neighbor below and that it was nice to meet her she apologized as it was Christmas break and school was out so the kids were “rough housing” I said I completely understand kids are kids and we left it at that.

Fast forward to middle of January it’s 6am on a Sunday and the little menaces are at it again like it’s their job, they woke me up from a dead sleep. I go up, knock on the door and one of the kids answered the door and I asked for her mom.

Mother comes apologizes and says that if I have a problem that it’s not her issue anymore she cannot control her kids and that I needed to call the cops.

I snarky replied “if you can’t control them you shouldn’t have had them” not the nicest thing but after losing sleep consecutively for weeks because of this I was fed up. I proceeded to email the office (mind you this entire time I’ve been getting videos and proof of the noises) so they got ample amount of evidence. She was fined by the county and told to knock off the noises outside of the ordinance hours.

She didn’t listen and let her children run amuck and I continued to complain every time I was woken up at 6 am on a weekend. She’s now been fined 5 times for a total of $4,000 and tells the office I discriminate against her because she has children and she simply can’t afford the fines given by the county…I love kids but if I wanted to live with them I would’ve reproduced…AITA?

Here's what the jury of internet strangers had to say...

CaliforniaJade said:

There's no reason for those children to be making noise at that hour. It's not outrageous to expect quiet hours to be quiet. NTA.

Fuzzy_Judgment63 said:

NTA - You are entitled to peace and quiet, and the upstairs neighbor is entirely responsible to make sure her kids don't violate your right to peace & quiet.

HorrorAvatar said:

NTA. You and your neighbors have the right to peace and quiet in your own homes. It is utterly ridiculous that you need to wear earplugs in your own house. As per your comment and edit, it sounds like she’s one of those people that expect the world to revolve around her kids. F*ck that.

Her kids are her problem and she’s making them everyone else’s. She needs to be a better parent or budget for all the fines she’s getting for not being one. I wouldn’t feel too badly about her getting those fines, either. She’s bringing them on herself.

WhatAWagon said:

NTA Honestly, if I was fined for the noise my children made, I can guarantee you that there wouldn't be a second fine. However, I do have an issue with your title calling the kids menaces, the real menace is their mother.

Sufficient-Cake4096 said:

NTA. This lady needs to get her kids under control. I don't care if they're kids; you're in a communal living space and rules and rules. Doesn't matter the reason for the noise is some kids.

So, there you have it...

Everyone agreed fairly unanimously here that this woman and her boyfriend aren't wrong to complain about the neighbors as being respectful is part of sharing any living space. While it can be impossible to keep most children calm and quiet at all times, clearly these kids are on a different level of sound destruction. Good luck, everyone!