LOUD MOM = LOUD KIDS
Along with that, of course is:
quiet mom = quiet kids
I earned the nickname "Volume" during my freshman year of college because I "just can't keep it down." My kids have the same ability. (Let's not call it a "disability!")
This past week has been interesting. D worked graves all week, so he'd roll in between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. and hit the hay. Right about the time our little crew wakes up. Our house is very small--864 square feet, plus a basement. There is no way to "go to the other side of the house" to keep the noise from traveling. In a space this size, you can hear everything. When D worked graves earlier in the year, I'd take the kids running with me and then back outside to play and eat, but now that the weather has turned cold, that isn't really an option. I've mostly tried to find things to do elsewhere, like the library or a friend's house or even errands. But sometimes we can't just get right up and into the car, which is where the volume becomes a problem. Volume around here is always either full-blast or turned off. Turned off only happens when the kids are asleep. I tell them dozens and hundreds of times to whisper "porque Dada esta dormido" but my requests fall on deaf ears. And I find that in order for myself to be heard, I have to raise my own volume (and we all know that I'm capable!)--I have to yell at my kids to keep them from yelling! It just ain't right!
So I was thinking of all the moms I know and thinking of their kids (this is when I was reaching the conclusion above) and I thought that there must be an exception. Who do I know who's an exception?? I thought and thought and thought...and then I realized--my mother is the exception! My mom is anything but loud. She is so polite, so proper, so reserved, so demure. And her eight kids? ALL LOUD!! I mean, there are those who are less loud, but "less loud" is still "loud." Wow, what an experience it must have been for her to raise us! Lucky gal!
Here's my mom with four of her loud kids, three loud grandchildren, and one not-so-loud granddaughter (hey, another exception!?)
My mom and dad supporting their loud kids at the Spudman 2006
Six of the eight of us at the Spudman 2007. I couldn't find any photos with all eight of us.
2 comments:
tera you speak truth woman. i am loud too(as you may remember) and my kids are LOUD!! Hunter isn't as loud as the girls and william, maybe he got a little of his dad. BUT BOY OH BOY do i struggle with this too. william only knows one volume, poor kid! it is nice to know i am not alone in this battle. i notice when i talk softer my kids they tend to be softer, but it is difficult to keep that up. good luck!
T, one time when I first started teaching I was telling you about how those blasted kids drove me to yelling. They were so exasperating! You gave me some good advice that I still remember, now & then. That was that if I yell at them all of the time then they will never know when to REALLY listen, or something like that. What a brilliant girl you were & now what a brilliant mom you are! :) It is still good advice, but I know what you mean. Derek works graves every Friday & Saturday evening & also comes home around 7:30 in the morning to get some precious sleep. It is hard but he knows that I can't make them be quiet. Just keep doing your best & eventually they'll get it! (maybe)
Loved seeing all the photos of your family.
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