Inside voices and outside voices
Junior has apparently discovered she has lungs. She likes to scream now, often for no reason. It’s a bit annoying for us and for the dog it’s excruciating. So, the other night she starts screaming. I say to her: Let’s not scream inside. We use our quiet voices in the house. She says outside. I said she could go outside and scream all she wanted. So, she did. She was standing on the front porch screaming at random intervals while me and the Mrs. were watching from the door having a good laugh. So, if you see a child outside screaming, that’s probably why.
February 11th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
She’s looking for an outlet. You’re neglecting her music lessons.
February 11th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
Countdown to the CPS showing up….
February 11th, 2007 at 7:04 pm
Straight to American Idol.
She’s a real peach, isn’t she? I hope you and wife are enjoying every second.
February 11th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
Non-conformist Child. Problem solving Dad. Mom with a sense of humor. A dog. Sounds about right to me !
February 12th, 2007 at 8:57 am
I was raised in the country where we all looked out for each other…mainly because if we didn’t, there was no one else to call…911? What’s that? Call the Sheriff, if anyone answers, he’s probably on the other side of the county and might make it to you in an hour or so.
One of the things that really bugs me about living in town is the sheer number of kids who think it is perfectly acceptable to scream bloody murder for no particular reason. After the first 20 or 30 times responding to a child’s blood curdling scream thinking that they had just been severely injured or were in the process of being abducted, only to discover a child who simply hadn’t been taught any better…I just don’t bother any more.
A kid could get disemboweled right in front of my house right now and I wouldn’t even notice because I’m so used to that kind of screaming it doesn’t even register with me any more.
That’s a pretty sad state of affairs if you ask me. But I’m getting too old to go running across the neighborhood every time I hear someone’s undisciplined brat screaming at the top of their lungs.
I remember a story that I was taught as a child (and that I taught my children) about a kid who cried wolf too many times. I guess that story is not politically correct enough these days.
Just my two hundredths of a dollar.
February 12th, 2007 at 10:00 am
Heh. If I had a nickel for every time I’ve admonished either of my kids to “use an inside voice”, I’d have a shitload of nickels…
What never fails to amuse me, though, is when I have to YELL at them to quiet down. Eventually they’re going to comprehend the concept of irony, and then I will truly be screwed…
February 12th, 2007 at 10:50 am
I predict you will be able to detect the difference in a random loud voiced yell, as your child is doing now, and a scream of pain / need of help. And the random screams won’t bother you any at all as long as you don’t hear the other kind.
February 12th, 2007 at 11:56 am
I know the difference between a “random loud voiced yell” and a “scream”. The neighborhood imps regularly scream quite convincingly as if they were in extreme agony, fear or distress and this is exactly the type of scream that Uncle seems to be describing with his child.
In my misguided years, when I actually acted like I gave a crap, I actually had kids’ parents LAUGH at me because I was so naive as to rush to the assistance of their screaming child.
And then people wonder why no one helps when their kids actually ARE in trouble.