I moved to a new apartment 2 months ago and it's been wonderful except that my downstairs neighbors are so loud that I thought they were my upstairs neighbors for the first month. They have two young children who will scream at the top of their lungs, barely pausing for breath, for HOURS (we're talking 3-4 hours straight). Idk how old they are but they are walking age and are in at least preschool. Then the parents just scream at them as well. They don't actually talk/parent, they just say "ça va?" over and over in increasingly angry tones of voice (Quebec).

What's worse is that this all begins at 5am every morning and lasts all day on weekends. It's been driving me insane but I don't want to noise complain because it's a family and I don't want them to have trouble with the landlord. I also sleep odd hours and I don't speak French well, and I just frankly don't want to talk to them.

So essentially it's gotten to the point that when they have been screaming solid for at least an hour or so, I pointedly stomp on the floor 3 times. If they don't shut up I'll do it once more like 30 mins later. I try not to unless they're being really disruptive and it's an ungodly hour (like when they wake me up over and over), but frankly it's happened at least 3 times in the last week where I couldn't take it. In total, I'd say instances I've stomped have been 10-15 times in 2 months.

Well idk if this was just an asshole move, sure I could have tried to go and confront them and explain in my bad french at 5am, but I didn't want to. But today I got home and from 5pm-9pm they've been yelling. So, stomp stomp stomp then stop.

2 mins later I hear stomping and my doorbell ring and the mum showed up at my door and looked like she was shaking she was so angry. She said that when I made noise it only makes the problem worse (funny, because they tend to shut up when I do) and that her kids are only 5 so ofc they scream. She was angry that I've been knocking/stomping briefly on the floor and told me to stop it.

AITAH for making sound i. response to their screaming? I know I could have talked to them directly but I feel like the offense is a bit lopsided for her to be the one shaking with anger.