Mom Of 3 Is Fed Up With Autistic Neighbors’ Small Talk Attempts, Ends Up Installing A Privacy Sheet

A few would perhaps argue that parenting, especially when you have multiple children of school age, is an incredibly stressful and exhausting process, in which it’s really crucial for an adult not to “explode” at the most inopportune moment. To prevent yourself from that, you always need to have some space and time to unwind…

So, the story we’ll tell you today, from the user u/Miserable_Item_2249, actually tells us how important it really is to have some unwinding time and space, and how vital personal boundaries are for literally any one of us. Especially when the described person has three kids.

More info: Reddit

Parenting three kids can actually be incredibly stressful sometimes, and any parent really needs some space and time to catch their breath

Mom of 3 reading outdoors, surrounded by plants and privacy sheet, avoiding talkative neighbors in a peaceful garden setting

Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The author of the post has three school-aged kids, and two of them have ADHD, so life in her house sometimes can be truly chaotic

Mom of 3 using privacy sheet to block talkative neighbors on porch, husband disagrees, calling her actions rude.

Text describing chaotic household with ADHD, energetic dog, and noisy cats causing disruption at night.

Text excerpt showing a mom describing her husband supporting her by encouraging a break to handle talkative neighbors and privacy needs.

Image credits: Miserable_Item_2249

Stressed mom of 3 sitting on floor with laptop while children play on couch behind her in cozy living room.

Image credits: photoroyalty / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The woman has her unwinding place outside the house, where she goes with her coffee and a book sometimes

Text about a mom of 3 escaping talkative neighbors with a privacy sheet while managing noise on her city porch.

Text discussing a mom of 3 dealing with talkative neighbors and using a privacy sheet to avoid them.

Image credits: Miserable_Item_2249

Mom of 3 sitting outdoors in a wheelchair while a woman pushes another person in a wheelchair in a social setting.

Image credits: Raj Tuladhar / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

However, now the family has new neighbors – five men with various special needs, who try to talk to her every time they see her on the porch

Text excerpt from a mom of 3 describing frustration with talkative neighbors and using a privacy sheet to escape conversation.

Text excerpt about a mom using a privacy sheet to escape talkative neighbors while her husband calls her rude.

Mom of 3 uses a privacy sheet to escape talkative neighbors while husband calls her behavior rude and dismissive.

Image credits: Miserable_Item_2249

The author failed to explain to them that she actually needs silence and quiet, so she just set a privacy sheet – but the spouse called this “rude”

The original poster (OP) says that she and her husband have three school-aged kids, two of whom have ADHD, so the atmosphere in the house can sometimes be incredibly messy and chaotic. Oh, and the family also has a very active dog and two cats. So, it’s no surprise that the woman sometimes just wants to grab a coffee and a book, step out onto the porch, and leave her husband to deal with all the chaos inside.

The family lives in a big city, so even when the author steps out, she’s still surrounded by noise and din from everywhere. But it’s still an opportunity to catch her breath. However, the building behind their house was recently renovated to become an adult group home. Now, the OP’s neighbors are five men, a few with autism, one with special needs, and one with severe social anxiety.

They all try to be very polite and friendly, and whenever they see the author with a book on the porch, they start talking to her about various things. Well, this is absolutely not what an exhausted mom of three, looking for at least a few minutes of peace, really needs… The author has politely tried several times to explain to her new neighbors that she needs peace and quiet, but to no avail.

Our heroine solved this problem by purchasing a privacy sheet and installing it on her porch. Now, when she goes outside, no one sees her. And, accordingly, no one bothers her with small talk. At the same time, the author’s husband considered her actions “rude” and claimed she was disrespectful to her neighbors. So the woman decided to seek some advice online.

Outdoor patio with white chairs and a privacy sheet used by mom to block talkative neighbors.

Image credits: Bbalrog / Reddit (not the actual photo)

“The key issue here is that a neurotypical person’s reaction to a familiar person appearing in their field of view is significantly different from that of a neurodivergent person,” says Irina Matveeva, a psychologist and certified NLP specialist, whom Bored Panda asked for a comment here. “It’s simply a matter of being able to construct a chain of logical connections in their head.”

In other words, the expert says, if a neurodivergent person sees someone familiar on the porch, they simply feel the urge to communicate. This connection “works” directly, without considering the possible reasons why the acquaintance might have gone outside, and that they probably simply need some silence. In other words, they may just not feel these “invisible” boundaries.

As for the author’s husband, he’s probably more understanding of the new neighbors, but he should also recognize that his wife needs peace and quiet, at least for a while. So, installing a privacy sheet in this situation wouldn’t be so much a sign of disrespect as a visual, physical confirmation of her boundaries, Irina Matveeva summarizes.

Incidentally, some people in the comments noted roughly the same thing, confirming that the author is doing right here. Well, and that her husband should think more about supporting his wife than strangers. In any case, the responders are pretty much confident that taking care of one’s own mental health is actually the most important thing. So do you, our dear readers, also agree with this?

Most commenters, however, sided with the woman and urged her husband to give support to his spouse rather than to the strangers

Comment discussing a mom of 3 using a privacy sheet to escape talkative neighbors, with husband calling her rude.

Reddit conversation discussing mom of 3 setting social boundaries with talkative neighbors using a privacy sheet.

Online discussion about a mom of 3 using a privacy sheet to escape talkative neighbors while husband calls her rude.

Comments discussing a mom seeking privacy from talkative neighbors using a privacy sheet amid family tension.

Screenshot of a forum comment where a user advises a mom of 3 to prioritize her needs over talkative neighbors.

Reddit comment discussing a mom of 3 using a privacy sheet to avoid talkative neighbors, husband says she’s rude.

Comment discussing a mom of 3 using a privacy sheet to escape talkative neighbors while her husband calls it rude.

Screenshot of an online comment defending a mom escaping talkative neighbors using a privacy sheet.

Mom of 3 creates privacy sheet to escape talkative neighbors while husband says she’s being rude about it.

Screenshot of an online comment discussing a mom of 3 escaping talkative neighbors with a privacy sheet.

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