Not everyone that you encounter in your life is going to be as excited about your kids as you are. While you still love them even when they’re being loud or obnoxious or screaming all throughout the night, it’s rare that other people will still appreciate your kids after times like those. Especially if they’re your neighbors, it’s understandable that having kids around can get grating at times. Not only this, but you might also have to deal with your own bad or noisy neighbors and the effects they might have on your kids. Luckily, there are things you can do to make life in an apartment or condo easier on everyone involved. To show you how, here are three tips for living in a home with shared walls when you have kids.
Teach Your Kids About Courtesy
Depending on where you live, there might be a lot of condos for sale in your area. Because of this, your chances of living in a place where you share walls with a neighbor could be considerable. So if this is the case for your family, one of the first things you should do is speak with your kids about being courteous to your neighbors. According to Ron Leshnower, a contributor to The Spruce, this conversation should include sharing with your kids why they need to be respectful of others and their space, even when that space is shared. Teach your kids how to be calm and quiet when walking the halls in your building and that they should try to keep their voices and electronics low during night hours.
Be Conscious Of How Your Home Aligns With Others’ Homes
When deciding which rooms to give your kids in your condo or apartment, you should try to be conscious of how your home aligns with others’ homes around you. If at all possible, Taryn Williford, a contributor to Apartment Therapy, suggests that you put louder people or devices away from shared walls or behind some type of soundproofing. By keeping your kids’ rooms away from common spaces in your neighbors’ homes, you’ll hopefully be able to avoid some of the issues with noise.
Use Rugs Wherever You Can
If you have neighbors below you that you’re worried about your kids bothering with all their stomping around day and night, Deirdre Sullivan, a contributor to The Spruce, suggests that you lay down rugs on your floor to help muffle the sounds. Additionally, you could also put more padding under your rugs to ensure that they’re as soundproof as possible.
If you’re living in an apartment or condo that has shared walls with your neighbor, consider using the tips mentioned above to help keep everyone’s noise to themselves.