Google defines quiet as follows: (February 25, 2017) adjective: 1. making little or no noise 2. carried out discreetly, secretly or in moderation
noun: absence of noise or bustle; silence; calm
verb: make or become silent, calm, or still
Not one part of that definition applies to my house unless, of course, we aren’t in it!
I have heard people say that with girls the house is quiet play while they are young but loud when they reach their teen years. The opposite comes with boys; the house is noisy play while young and quiet in their teens. Now I don’t know how true this assessment is on all levels. However, I can assure you that my house hasn’t been quiet since my first son came into our lives almost 7 years ago. Add the second son to the mix and most days I can’t even hear myself think!
Their eyes open and with it their mouths and their bodies are in full motion with the sole purpose of noise and louder noise. Feet thumping down the hall, voices roaring and I mean literally roaring because not only did the boys wake but the monsters with them. Toys bang, hands are used like drum sticks on whatever object makes the best sound, there is yelling between rooms because why would we go into the same room to talk to someone when we can have a conversation loud enough for the neighbours to hear? Oh and did I mention that the TV that I try to enforce a volume control of 15 on is somewhere around 30 instead, and nobody is watching it. I am suddenly reminded of the Meatloaf song and the part of the lyrics where the following is repeated several times, “Everything louder than everything else!”
There is fighting, arguing, wrestling, and the sounds of super heroes in training. We can’t forget that the dog likes to bark because he wouldn’t want to feel left out. Doors slam, things crash, things smash…
Google defines loud as producing or capable of producing much noise; easily audible (adjective), and with a great deal of volume (adverb). The following synonyms follow the adjective definition: noisy, blaring, booming, deafening, roaring, thunderous, ear-splitting, ear-piercing, carrying, clearly audible, lusty, powerful, forceful and my personal favourite stentorian which is defined as describing a booming voice (February 25, 2017).
With that said, this describes me parenting boys:
“And I ain’t in it for the power,
and I ain’t in it for my health
I ain’t in it for the glory of anything at all,
and I sure ain’t in it for the wealth
But I’m in it ’till it’s over and I just can’t stop
If you wanna get it done, you gotta do it yourself,
and I like my music like I like my life
Everything louder than everything else!
Everything louder than everything else!
Everything louder than – everything else!
Everything louder than everything else!
Everything louder than everything else!
Everything louder than – everything else!” – Meatloaf, 1993
By Shari Marshall – written for April 20, 2017
Brewing Coffee, Twisting Words & Breaking Pencils 
I don’t think it’s so much girls play quieter, but rather they’ll listen more if you tell them to be quieter…
… and those girls who are never told to be quiet are loud all the time, I’ve noticed. I have a whole passel of nieces who simply cannot be quiet.
Her Grace, Heidi from Romance Spinners
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Interesting, thank you for sharing that. I imagine with boys or girls if they aren’t advised to watch the noise level they will never learn how. Thanks for stopping by.
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I was lucky enough to have one of each – a boy and a girl, and I don’t ever remember either one being quieter than the other.
https://ancestralresearchjournal.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/a-to-z-challenge-q-is-for-quarrelsome.html – Q is for Quarrelsome
———-
Dropping by from the A to Z Challenge.
Sandra, Aspiring family historian, fellow participant in the #AtoZchallenge
http://ancestralresearchjournal.blogspot.com.au/ – Sandra’s Ancestral Research Journal
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Quiet might occasionally happen in a house with kids, but it’s usually a sign of trouble! 🙂
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Good point!
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Love this! I have 1 daughter, but when she was little she was all noise & dirt. Now, at 19, she’s less dirt but still just as much noise. Picture this….tap shoes on wood floors….
Lisa / Tales from the Love Shaque
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Oh no, tap shoes and a wooden floor! Bad combo. My older son was on stage to learn 2 or 3 Celtic dance steps and once we were home his bare feet thumping on the floor was loud enough! Haha
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Ah yes – Our house can be very noisy at times, but with my youngest sibling being 15, we now get a lot of quiet times compared to several years ago. But, when I go and visit my oldest sister who has eight children with the oldest being 14? Well, then it’s REALLY noisy! But, wonderful, too. 🙂
Visiting from the A to Z Challenge. You can see my “Q” post here: https://lydiahowe.com/2017/04/20/q-is-for-questions-atozchallenge-also-time-for-yall-to-ask-questions/
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Certainly with the noise the wonderfulness is built in: memories, fun, laughing, and so much more.
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Ha! I went the same route for my Q post. My son will play TV twice as loud as he needs, too, and it drives me crazy — and I’m someone who has bad hearing who has to play things louder to begin with.
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