Kids are noisy. During the week I teach art classes called Creativity Explosion!!! that have two rules; one, as long as their hands are working, they can talk and rule two, no erasing or I will cut off their eraser. At home, my own four children play several instruments including drums, ukuleles, fiddles and guitars, with amps. Neighbor kids are frequently ringing the doorbell, and in general I am fine with all the commotion.
Noise doesn’t bother me, normally.
With that said, transporting groups of 13-year-old boys back and forth from sporting events has created stress from time to time. I could handle the loud talking, even ignore the laughter rising up from behind the seats, but there were times when I needed to turn down the volume.
The fact is, restaurants, libraries, stores and other people’s homes are often not welcoming to the din giggling children can bring. If you are looking for help in bringing the noise level down, the following tips may help.
Whisper
When you raise your voice louder and louder to get them to be quiet, it only exacerbates the situation. Try going the opposite route and whispering. Young children especially will become curious and then you have their attention. If nothing else it can help keep your blood pressure steady and you try to corral the kids!
Prepare
If you know you are headed to a location that values peace and quiet, be prepared. The noise level sometimes rises out of sheer boredom. Bring emergency snacks, things to do en route and quiet toys to play with if appropriate. Giving advance warning is also important. Letting them know what is expected and for how long can help them control their impulses.
Release
Factor in time when kids can be kids. Sitting quietly hour upon hour is unrealistic for many children. Make sure there is time when they are free to be loud.
Transition
Going directly from running wild to still is not realistic. Just as you would transition into bedtime with routines such as bath time and reading books, you can transition from wild play to calm with a relaxation routine. Something simple like deep breathes or stretching can help prepare a child to be quieter.
For example before releasing my loud art classes to their next activity, we clean up the room and then they stand up on their tip toes for as long as they can, stretch their hands up high, and wiggle all their fingers. This helps transition from a loud to a quiet hallway, but it is a good way to get them ready to take instruction.
Trying these techniques will help with noise control, but more importantly consistently using whispering, preparing and transitioning will help you enjoy parenting loud children.
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