“What is a home without children? Quiet.” (Henny Youngman)

Living with children can sometimes sound like being ringside at a three-ring circus. There’s often too much going on to make sense of, and sooner or later, as ringmaster, you end up cracking your whip just to get a little peace and quiet.

ScreamFree Parenting advocates turning down the volume in your home when it comes to interacting with your kids, but we’re not hearkening back to the days when children were to be seen and not heard. Before we know it, our kids who inadvertently slam doors and sometimes leave the TV on too loud will be gone. We will no longer hear their laughter on a daily basis or feel the floor shake as they tromp through the house with a pack of friends. As much as we may crave quiet now, we’ll miss that background noise later.

So, do this today. Listen to your children. Too often, the only time we pay attention to the sounds our children make is when they irritate us. Just for today, try tuning those minor things out and tuning in to the wonderful sounds they send your way. They way they hum to themselves as they read. The chatter they create with their friends on the phone. The sound of their scratchy voices in the early morning hours when they first wake up. I think you’ll find that when you choose to listen for the good things, suddenly the hum of your house, as it brims with life, sounds less like a circus, and more like a symphony.