I need to vent about my loud children.

[plain jane]

A couple of my kids are loud. Really loud. :glare: They're often outside jumping on the trampoline, but they're so loud that I do worry the neighbors will complain to someone, police, maybe? :confused:

 

Before sending them out, we talk about not screaming and screeching while out there and everyone agrees they won't but then the howling starts up. So, I must stop what I'm doing, go out there, take screaming child in for a time out and again discuss not screaming.- of course, the screaming just gets worse as they are being carried back to the house :glare:. Once time has been served, I send child back outside and sure enough, within 10 minutes the screaming starts up again. :glare: Sometimes it's the same one, sometimes another. :banghead:

 

Truth be told the whole thing makes me :willy_nilly: and I'm at the point where I'd rather just sell the trampoline and not allow them to play outside. :001_huh: It's embarrassing and I don't know how to make it stop. I've kept the loud ones inside permanently while the quieter ones are outside but then I feel so guilty and let them all go out. Then the screaming starts up.

 

Ugh. Can I just put duct tape over their mouths while they are outside?? Seriously, I am not sure what to do but I really do fear that we're going to end up with complaints. We live in a very quiet neighborhood and there are very few young children so it's obvious whose kids are screaming and I'm sure they can be heard for miles. :o

 

Sigh.

[Gwenhwyfar]

anyone who would call the cops on noisy bouncing kids outside in the middle of the day needs a swift kick in the tail.

 

outside is where you're supposed to go when you want to be loud! :D

[Daisy]

A couple of my kids are loud. Really loud. :glare: They're often outside jumping on the trampoline, but they're so loud that I do worry the neighbors will complain to someone, police, maybe? :confused:

 

Before sending them out, we talk about not screaming and screeching while out there and everyone agrees they won't but then the howling starts up. So, I must stop what I'm doing, go out there, take screaming child in for a time out and again discuss not screaming.- of course, the screaming just gets worse as they are being carried back to the house :glare:. Once time has been served, I send child back outside and sure enough, within 10 minutes the screaming starts up again. :glare: Sometimes it's the same one, sometimes another. :banghead:

 

Truth be told the whole thing makes me :willy_nilly: and I'm at the point where I'd rather just sell the trampoline and not allow them to play outside. :001_huh: It's embarrassing and I don't know how to make it stop. I've kept the loud ones inside permanently while the quieter ones are outside but then I feel so guilty and let them all go out. Then the screaming starts up.

 

Ugh. Can I just put duct tape over their mouths while they are outside?? Seriously, I am not sure what to do but I really do fear that we're going to end up with complaints. We live in a very quiet neighborhood and there are very few young children so it's obvious whose kids are screaming and I'm sure they can be heard for miles. :o

 

Sigh.

 

I completely understand. I wrote a post about it. LOL. http://daisyhomeschoolblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/just-shut-up-i-mean-be-quiet-please.html

 

As far as advice. Can you take them to a park and let them scream it out? I find mine are usually better if I wear them out (literally make them physically exhausted). Can you sit outside with them? That helps around here also b/c they remember to control themselves better when I'm there as a visual reminder.

[AK_Mom4]

There was a period of time when I had to divide-and-conquor with my kiddos in the back yard - they were so loud the neighbor actually complained. I could let any 2 of them outside at a time, but not all three.

 

I would split the time for your two loud ones and only let one of them out with the quiet ones at a time. If they can't feed off each other, the volume might not escalate quite so quickly.

[plain jane]

I completely understand. I wrote a post about it. LOL. http://daisyhomeschoolblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/just-shut-up-i-mean-be-quiet-please.html

 

As far as advice. Can you take them to a park and let them scream it out? I find mine are usually better if I wear them out (literally make them physically exhausted). Can you sit outside with them? That helps around here also b/c they remember to control themselves better when I'm there as a visual reminder.

 

Well, I *could* sit out there with them, but truth be told, I send them out sometimes for some peace and quiet for mama. :001_huh::lol::lol: That, and I use that time to get stuff done around the house that is easier to do without little ones interrupting or under foot.

 

Oh, and mine don't scream at the park. :001_huh: They apparently save it for when they're home or something. :glare:

[plain jane]

There was a period of time when I had to divide-and-conquor with my kiddos in the back yard - they were so loud the neighbor actually complained. I could let any 2 of them outside at a time, but not all three.

 

I would split the time for your two loud ones and only let one of them out with the quiet ones at a time. If they can't feed off each other, the volume might not escalate quite so quickly.

 

That's a good idea, they do feed off each other.

 

Does that really work for you? I can see the one left inside being rather loud with the screaming *in* the house, kwim? :tongue_smilie: Also, the two loudest are also the two that play the best together. Go figure. :rolleyes: :banghead:

[mom31257]

Has anyone actually complained? Are there any neighbors you are very close to that you could ask their opinions?

 

If they are not doing it at a time that is bad (nap time for small ones, night time when some could go to bed early), then I don't think it is bad.

 

I don't know the ages of the children who have the problem, but I think it is a discipline/attitude problem with the child if you are having to carry them into the house and the screaming gets worse for having to come in. Screaming over my discipline would only ensure further, harsher discipline.

 

I do think children should be able to be louder outside, but if you've told them not to scream and they do, then they are disobeying you. The first time they scream, they would march inside and sit in time out until the others are done playing. Don't let them go back out anymore that day. They could try again the next time, but if they lose the privilege enough, maybe they will get the picture. It's really a self-control issue, IMO.

[Jennifer in MI]

I used to worry about that too. Now we have such great neighbors who understand that kids are loud outside! I don't worry about it anymore. I do call my kids in at a reasonable hour, depending on the time of year. But, I don't worry about it anymore.

 

Now, are your kids loud because they're fighting? Or is it just playing outside noise? If it's fighting, I think I'd sit outside and watch the play for a while. See what's happening and discipline accordingly. If it's fun noise and you're worried, I'd talk with the neighbors. See if they're really a bother. Maybe we're just lucky, but our neighbors (mostly older folks) really like the noise of little ones playing!

[plain jane]

I used to worry about that too. Now we have such great neighbors who understand that kids are loud outside! I don't worry about it anymore. I do call my kids in at a reasonable hour, depending on the time of year. But, I don't worry about it anymore.

 

Now, are your kids loud because they're fighting? Or is it just playing outside noise? If it's fighting, I think I'd sit outside and watch the play for a while. See what's happening and discipline accordingly. If it's fun noise and you're worried, I'd talk with the neighbors. See if they're really a bother. Maybe we're just lucky, but our neighbors (mostly older folks) really like the noise of little ones playing!

 

 

They're not really fighting but they're not really getting along. :tongue_smilie: And no, it's not the sounds of children playing, it's full-out screaming. Mostly from the 2yo. I don't let them outside at unreasonable hours so most of the screaming is done in the afternoon or early evening. Still, it's loud, shrill, and, well, happens a lot. :(

 

I do haul them in, but it gets so tiring for this mama that it's easier to never let them out in the first place. Then I feel like a terrible mom. :(

[AK_Mom4]

That's a good idea, they do feed off each other.

 

Does that really work for you? I can see the one left inside being rather loud with the screaming *in* the house, kwim? :tongue_smilie: Also, the two loudest are also the two that play the best together. Go figure. :rolleyes: :banghead:

 

It worked for us, but that's because it the one inside didn't play quietly inside waiting for his/her turn, he/she got to spend the rest of the afternoon in their room. I was like you and needed the play time to get a few things done around the house and regroup my brain. It only took a few times before they caught on to how it needed to work.

[Brenda in FL]

Does your two year old talk yet? If not, or if he talks very little, hopefully the screaming should die down as he gets more verbal.

 

I too think that kids should be able to be loud outside - but I do draw the line at older children screaming. They can scream if they are injured, or bloody, or about to be abducted, etc. But I don't want them screaming if nothing is legitimately wrong with them. No need for the whole neighborhood to be in a panic that a child needs help somewhere! (I really needed to enforce this when we had a swimming pool - my kids would play that they were drowning - and that's just too dangerous - don't cry wolf unless there's really a wolf!)

 

But I don't know how you can keep a two year old from screaming!

 

If you really need peace and quite - I think I'd send the older kids outside and let the 2 year old watch a DVD! Maybe not a popular answer - but sometimes a momma's got to do what a momma's got to do.