I have finally developed the ability to tune out

[Mom2legomaniacs]

For years, every little noise would irritate the fire out of me. Now, my kids can talk and yammer all they want and I don't hear a thing!;) Does motherhood enable that skill to develop? Or am I just getting old?

[newbie]

Thats amazing. I havent reached that zen experience yet. But my dh has it down to an art.

 

Jet

[shalom22]

It's funny how a man can be sitting in the same room with a bunch of kids going 90 mph and not hear or see a thing.

 

I had learned to tone out loud noises when I first got married, about 23 years ago. My husband played an electric guitar, very loudly I must say, and I got to where I could sleep in the same room while he was playing his guitar and the light on. But after having the kids, I wish they came with a mute button.

[Philothea]

I think of it as just rediscovering a talent that I had as a child/teen. I never heard anything my mother said to me, now I can't hear my children when I don't want to :)

[Mom to Aly]

When my daughter was 5, we were driving to Busch Gardens (an hour and 20 min from our house) and we had just left, and my daughter was telling me that she had decided she wanted to grow her hair out. I asked her if she wanted it as long as Rapunzel's, and she said she wanted it it "longer than that, and longer than that, and longer than that..." and did not stop until we pulled into the parking lot. I tuned in on my music, tuned her out, and realized, that day, that I had no prob with it.

 

She realized, however, a couple of years ago, that she can figure out when I'm doing this (a certain look I have, I don't know) and I don't even realize I'm doing it--that is when she will ask to postpone school work, chores, etc. Three hours later I'll ask if she is done, and she'll tell me "but Mom, remember when you said "Blah blah blah...".

 

Be careful what you wish for!!! ;)

[Frontier Mom]

I am getting better even though my oldest ds insists on talking non-stop these days. I feel kinda bad because sometimes I really should be listening to him but I tune him out.

[kalanamak]

I work with lots of screaming, banging, swearing, and nonsense (last week a woman came flying out of her room at 7 a.m and grabbed my arm (so I'm trying to listen to her and decide if I need to press my panic button to call for back-up) and barked "Bill Clinton packed my v*gin* with buffalo dung" and loped off down the hall) and the REAL trick is to tune out the meaningless stuff, and have a very sharp ear for something that will escalate to injury.

[Doran]

...were you talking to me?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Honestly, I think it is an acquired art that is a merger of age and wisdom. On occasion, I am quite gifted. Sadly, on many others, I have the attention span of a flea. Currently, I am flea-like. Bummer.

[newbie]

I am going on forty two this yr. and haven't acquired it. What scares me is I will get it when they have moved out.

 

Maybe I will have it in time for grandkids. I hope so.

 

Jet

[Ashleen]

I wish my husband could. He gets so frustrated by the noise. He'll start talking and the kids will be making a ton of noise (not interrupting our conversation, just ignoring us and doing their own thing) and he'll get so upset he can't finish what he's saying. I tell him to just ignore them and talk, but he can't concentrate enough to have a conversation when kids are running around being kids.

 

I have learned, though, not to say, "uh-huh" to *anything* I wasn't listening to, because my 7 yr old is often making plans that I'm not going to agree to. Ever.

[Diane]

I was reading the thread responses to my husband and we were both laughing so hard. Our kids make sooo much noise. My son was 3 years, 4 months old when my daughter was born. He started talking in this cutesy high pitch character voice to her, it would make her smile and giggle, and to this day, he'll be 8 in a month, he still talks in that character voice to her. It kills me! LOL I can't ever concentrate. Plus, does anyone else notice that the noise gets louder the more important the phone call is? I wish I could tune them out when I needed to, but so far, no luck. Thanks for the laugh though! It's nice to know we aren't alone. I have two nephews who NEVER talk in the car or during lunch/dinner!!!!!!

[Qs3]

I hear ya. :) I do the same thing. Sometimes my dd4 says "Mom, you're not paying attention!" I think I might be zoning out too much.

[Stacia]

Plus, does anyone else notice that the noise gets louder the more important the phone call is?

 

That was my mom's curse on me (and my sister). You know, as a kid, there's never a better time to fight your sibling, have a major emergency, have a meltdown, get stuck in something, or do anything really loud than when your parent is on the phone! :D Uh, and my mom has informed me that I deserve it. (Who? Me???)

 

Yes, I'm adept at tuning out my kids (though I read them the riot act before I make a phone call). I'm even pretty adept at tuning out *myself*, sadly.

 

Now... what was I saying???