The noise level of children is so very subjective. I would be sensitive to the neighbor and try to resolve the issue. If I felt they were being spiteful, there wouldn't be much I could do. I can't control other people's behavior, so I would live with whatever they were doing to make our lives unpleasant and be assertive in my responses.
What do you want the panelists to weigh in on? Email your ideas to editor Tamara O'Shaughnessy at tamara@chicagoparent.com.