Kids can't play on the lawn - are you kidding?!

[Anonymous]

We got a notice from our condo management (actually two this week) advising that children playing outside are disturbing the neighbors and that it's against the rules and regs to play on the lawn cause they will damage the grass. Really?! Are you kidding?! Our kids can't play on the lawn in the springtime?! If neighbors are disturbed by children playing, they should move to one of those adult only communities!

For the record, my DS is too young to play outside with the big kids, but I actual enjoy hearing the kids play. It makes me feel like I live in a normal neighborhood and not the aseptic apartment buildings I've lived in for the last 10 years. I rent here and was seriously thinking about buying, but now I'm definitely rethinking that option.

Sorry, just had to vent!

[Anonymous]

Ugh, that sucks. Sounds like you have a bunch of crotchey, old neighbors.

[Anonymous]

If it's in the condo rules, then this *is* the place people move who don't want to hear/see kids playing.

[Anonymous]

No - the OP said the regs said kids shouldnt be on the lawn - not within the residents earshot. If you want to not HEAR children, you need to live in a place where children are prohibited. If you are in a building where children are allowed to live - you will HEAR them. What a bunch of stooges. Seriously, with two children of my own, I could never live there and my kids are quiet.
The lawn thing is probably because they pay to have the lawn done, manicured, fertilized so then yes, kids on the lawn would wreck that. But there should be common areas where children are allowed to be....well, CHILDREN.

[Anonymous]

That's horrible!! I too live in a condo and one of the only things I like about where I live is that there are a lot of little kids. I loved all their noise and laughter before I even had one of my own. In the summer they are all out on the lawn playing with each other, blowing bubbles, decorating the sidewalk with chalk. Everyone really seems to enjoy it and so do I. So because some people are scrooges you don't get to let your kid out? Please! I'm assuming you own too which means you have just as much right to live on the grounds as they do. "They" obviously made a stink and you have the right to do so as well. I would fight it right back.

[Anonymous]

I would hate, HATE living some place like this. And, if it were at all possible (financially, practically, etc.) I'd be out.

Bunch of uptight people.

[Anonymous]

Not saying I would like it, but when you choose to live in a place that has a set of rules, you have agreed to the rules. I agree with the PPs who said they'd move.

[Anonymous]

A condo association should be able to make the rules they want. Having said that, this thread brings back memories of when my sisters and I were little. My parents had bought a really large plastic pool one summer, and I guess we made a lot of noise playing in it. Years later, my mom told us that she'd gone to the next door neighbor, an elderly (early 80's) widow next door to see if the noise were disturbing her. She assured our mom that she loved to hear the noise of children laughing and playing--that it reminded her she was still alive!

[Anonymous]

That does suck. Mean people suck. We used to live in The Westchester near Mt. St. Alban in DC when 1st DC was born. Many elderly very wealthy neighbors. Most were completely warm and welcoming almost like distant relatives with how really friendly they were. There were a few that were really just horrible though and would act like just sitting on a bench with your toddler cruising by was a violation. We were there two years. That seems to be about the maximum age that I would be comfortable in most of the upscale condos around here. Kids need to run and scream and jump pretty much continuously after that. NYC is so different. Much more reasonable about that sort of thing.

[Anonymous]

Sorry OP but the rules are the rules.

We also rent and our neighbor almost got kicked out because his kids ride bikes and play ball in the hallway.

I have kids but this is just too much!

[Anonymous]

OP here: thanks for commiserating everyone!

The thing is that there are tons of families with babies and young children. This is a very large complex though (around 1,000 units), so in all likelihood the older neighbors are the ones with the time to complain to management about every little thing that bothers them.

[Anonymous]

To me there is a big difference between kids riding bikes and playing ball in the hallway and kids on the grass in front of a building. If the kids really cannot play on the front grass, I would bet it DOES have to do with the grass being treated and there should still be common areas where children can run and play. Otherwise, it is like saying it is a dog friendly building but no dogs are allowed outside the property. How do you take them OUT? Also, a fair comparison - if you are a dog friendly property you allow for a certian amount of noise and boisterous barking - same thing for a family friendly building. Sorry for the dog and kids analogy - I have both!

[Anonymous]

Well, I'm divided on this one.

Of course, I'm a mom too and believe that a certain amount of noise or other kid-related inconvenience is reasonable.

On the other hand, my upstairs neighbors have two kids who have never in their lives been told to practice respectful behavior. Frankly, those two make SO MUCH totally uncorrected NOISE whenever they're home (much more than any of the several other kids in the building), both in their own apartment and in common areas, that it's hard for me to work in my apartment. It also disrupts my older child's homework efforts.

So I say there's moderate kid noise, which should be indulged, on the one hand, and truly rude kid noise on the other. It seems to me as though whatever kids are likely to do outdoors during daytime can't be too bad. Outdoor voices are, after all, appropriate for playing on lawns. If kids are shrieking in the halls, however, they should be reminded to be respectful.

[Anonymous]

This is the flip side of the MYOB coin -- no one can say anything to you or to your kids, about your or about your kids, so no one is part of a community. So the kids outside playing are just making noise to people who don't have kids.

I'm not talking about you specifically, OP, I'm just talking about the unspoken rules of society around here that say no one is connected to anyone.

Really tired and rambling right now....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If it's in the condo rules, then this *is* the place people move who don't want to hear/see kids playing.

Condo owner here--- EXACTLY!!! I do not want to hear your kids playing. I'm single and like to sleep in, take naps, and enjoy my nice green grass. This is one of the benefits of living the single life, my freedom, peace and quiet. Why would I want to listen to your kids? Take your kids to a park! I'm grateful for these rules because screaming kids 'playing' may be cute to you, but I guarantee it doesn't sound like violins and chirping birds to the rest of us.