Not sure I'm totally looking forward to this summer

[jenniren]

Oh Ria that doesn't sound ideal at all, I really do sympathise and hope it isn't as bad as you fear xxx

Friends of ours had a neighbour with a little boy who always wanted to chat and although he was a lovely little chap it completely disrupted any time they wanted to spend sitting out on the patio.

We're very lucky here, our house backs on to a field of special scientific interest (slipper orchids, crested newts) so apart from the birds it's very quiet. We were only saying this morning we'll need to be very careful when we go looking for our new home to be sure it's in a quiet area.

[Kaz]

Oh dear The thing is, as lovely as other people' children might be, we don't all want to be engaged by them and chat at a moment's notice when we hoping for peace and quiet! Thing is their mums and dads are often so doting, they seem to think we will be just as much in love with them as they are.......

Bet that sounds awful, doesn't it, but over the last few years my tolerance levels of small children have dropped through the floor - I think it's a menopause thing, when you get too old to have your own that particular hormone b*ggers off!

[Diflower]

No, I agree Kaz
Hearing children play has never annoyed me in the slightest and often makes me smile
But there's playing, and there's what meriad's describing

The ex and I once had a neighbour with a lovely little boy - but he was hers, we didn't want him The minute either of us went into the garden, there he was, chatter chatter chatter, what are you having for dinner, can I come...and we did indeed have him round on his own and with his mum sometimes. But when you're both working full-time you want to be able to switch off and relax when you get home, especially on the rare warm evenings when you can be outside

[Kaz]

Exactly