I can understand how you feel, but fortunately I don't have to deal with it. I live in the country where houses are far apart and the kids have acreage to play on. Besides, there are no kids in my vicinity anyway. I could never live in the suburbs, let alone the city, since I need my space and wouldn't have it there, and the noise and congestion would be more than I would care to deal with.

Some people don't mind the noise - they just tune it out and are used to doing so, since they probably have, or did have kids at one time, and it's just something you learn to do. It all comes down to a way of maintaining your sanity!

Now that there are no small children for me to deal with, I feel silence is not all that golden for me. I hate it! I have to have a t.v. or radio on all the time - just for the sound. The way I figure it - silence will come to me one day - so I'd better enjoy the sounds while I can!

But the sounds you are having to deal with are not of your choosing, so I understand your frustration. Wish I had a suggestion for you. Any way you could put an air conditioner in the window - that way the windows could stay closed and you wouldn't suffocate from the heat. Just a thought.....