Parents’ apologetic letter to neighbours over baby’s crying is a hit on social media
A couple in the US sent out letters to their neighbours apologising in advance for their infant’s possible crying at night and a picture of the letter is making waves on social media.
The parents, Matthew and Kelee Ward, wrote in the letter that “after many sleepless nights thanks to the dreaded 4-month sleep regression”, they had decided to try the “cry-it-out method”, where the infant learns to self-soothe and fall asleep.
The “tired and sorry” parents also said they will do what it takes to mend relations with neighbours if baby got on people’s nerves. They also invited neighbours to drop by for peace offerings of milk, sugar, egg or tequila.
Moved by the letter, one of their neighbours in the apartment shared a photo of it on Twitter.
“Neighbors left this on the door… I’m gonna bake them some cookies,” Amber Bennett wrote.
neighbors left this on the door.. im gonna bake them some cookies 😭 pic.twitter.com/SQ0BiF6yTW
— Make America Purrr Again (@KittyBeeJr) December 14, 2020
“If you hear the cries please pray for me and know I am also crying and going insane,” the letter said.
“I’m very sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you, let’s hope it doesn’t last long,” the parents wrote, adding that they would take a break from the experiment if it didn’t work out.
The couple also requested neighbours to turn up the TV volume if their child was too loud.
The neighbour who tweeted the letter did keep her promise of baking cookies for the parents. She also gifted the baby a toiletry set, while the parents were given a bottle of liquor.
i didn’t expect this to blow up thanks for all the love guys 🥲🖤
(i made chocolate chip, peppermint shortbread, and brownie cookies hope they enjoy 😊) pic.twitter.com/Up3wfnTLPE
— Make America Purrr Again (@KittyBeeJr) December 15, 2020
“I thought it was the cutest, most considerate thing. You see stuff like this on the internet so I was surprised it actually happened to me,” Bennett, who runs a bakery from home told Bored Panda.
Matthew and Kelee Ward said they didn’t except their letter to be a subject of discussion on social media.
“Yeah, we definitely didn’t expect the neighbor’s response to be how positive it was. We kind of really just expected to put the letter on their door and then not really hear anything about it,” Matthew told news channel FOX 46.
The letter received lakhs of comments in response and was retweeted thousands of times.
It takes a village to raise children! https://t.co/erx17sAMX3
— Clayton Moore (@Clayton12569282) December 18, 2020
You know… When neighbors TALKED to each other instead of calling the cops or burning shit…
😂💪 https://t.co/7cJYbQl2Qn— Qnited (@QnitedOnline) December 18, 2020
aw man must be rlly hard if parents resort to cry it out method 🙁 💗 https://t.co/bhxCGKVrxJ
— hani (@bb1syri) December 17, 2020
This is absolutely the best. https://t.co/xtyzg05MmI
— Amy Plum (@AmyPlumOhLaLa) December 17, 2020
I love considerate neighbors ❤️ https://t.co/gP9jT221ki
— Ohmmmmmmyyyyyyyyggghghhhhhhhgggggggggdhdhsjsixudbs (@vantae_9895) December 16, 2020
Everybody should have neighbors as good and thoughtful as everyone involved here… ☺ https://t.co/ScTBzEZlR6
— Uncle Dreamy (@UncleDreamy) December 16, 2020
all these feels. Just went through this as well. https://t.co/YXRe7C7wvF
— Jason 🍻 (@jtucker) December 16, 2020
Respect. Parenting is hard. 👍❤ https://t.co/CYxaTSE1lQ
— A Space Oddity In The Twilight Zone (@AlwaysChildfree) December 16, 2020
I understand the Wards😂👌🏽 https://t.co/PsxCkNcqPr
— §inister⚰ (@SINiister_D) December 16, 2020
I know that 4-month sleep regression. It’s a real <explitive> About to go through it again. These neighbors are the real MVPs. I hope all their neighbors respond with kindness and show them some love. The first 6 months are tough. https://t.co/dxwpb5NbBW
— Mark ‘STAY HOME!’ Kewman (@mkewman) December 16, 2020
The tequila being mentioned a thousand times 😂i love them https://t.co/qSLsznpLWb
— 😺 (@ABCDEFGlHAVE2GO) December 16, 2020
This is a heartless method of pseudo-science which actually is child neglect and psycological abuse.
— Natalija Vavilova (@v_natalija) December 15, 2020
I had to do that with my son. The first night he cried all night. All. Night. Shocked no one called 911. The next night 3 hours. The third night a half-hour. Worked but was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
— Mary Beth Schneider (@marybschneider) December 16, 2020
Actually not true. The goal is to not reinforce that crying behavior, the more you reinforce and respond to the crying and fits, the more they will do it. Ignoring it is not fun, but in the end the child will be okay, and it will learn to behave
— cam ⬡ (4-9) (@Cam_Jones22) December 15, 2020
…house, you just pick them up for a second or even just rub their belly. You let them know they aren’t alone, but you try to get them used to being still and used to being in their crib. You still technically soothe your child. Just try to get them ever so slightly unattached.
— Jess 🦈 (@zcorpio13) December 15, 2020
for my niece we put her on our legs like this & pat her bum …. lil baby goes out like a light every time😴 pic.twitter.com/Z6C2XxyoE3
— baby girl (@Kyxnnx_) December 15, 2020
You may as well go over and help them put that baby to sleep for them 😭
— 7 7 7 (@ammd_p) December 15, 2020
I used to let my daughter cry it out. It hurts to hear them cry but sometimes no amount of cuddling/soothing from the parent works. It SUCKS hearing them cry nonstop but eventually they do just stop crying. Of course I would check on her and occasionally try to comfort her (1/2)
— Alpha (@AlphaMenacee) December 15, 2020
TIP: Soon as the baby can lay on its stomach and sleep through the night, inch the baby out of your bedroom into their own bedroom in its bassinet. 2weeks tops. It sounds crazy…but it works!
— ArieeBee (@BeeAriee) December 15, 2020
I reading this and thinking of my mum, she’d say never pick a baby up if it’s crying if it’s not in pain, dirty or hungry; she’s “..not raising no hand baby..” lol when she put you to bed you better go to sleep 😂😂😂
— Christine B (@ImHellaPetty2) December 15, 2020
Right. The idea is to get the child accustomed to not being picked up every time he/she cries, but learns to go back to sleep on his/ her own. Parents are nearby, attend the child periodically with soothing word, songs, rubs on the back, but no pick up.
— Lori Claudio 🏡🎨 (@amused2Bhere) December 16, 2020
Day 2 from the “cry it out method” and you just the neighbor pic.twitter.com/8Y86oOCaaM
— The Jamaican King H2O🇯🇲 (@hasani_hill) December 15, 2020
I would pretend to be mad just to have some tequila ✨ pic.twitter.com/RuNLvKXMhu
— eauddo (@eauddo1) December 15, 2020