Your house must be loud.
You must be busy all the time.
I hear variations of those two comments often when someone hears that I have three boys 10 and under or if they see me out and about with them.
And yes, my house is often loud. Especially with three. Because even if one finds something quiet to do, there are two others to make up for the noise.
And yes, we’re very busy. Between school and all their activities, plus all the running around my boys do because all that energy needs to come out somehow, we’re busy. Though the tone that busy is said to me in usually implies that it must always be mass chaos at my house.
Sometimes they move so quickly, they’re slightly blurred in every picture I try to take.
The noise my boys make is from playing. Maybe it’s a video game or they’re singing or simply calling to each other or a friend from across the yard. They aren’t often quiet. Though if I have a phone call I need to take for work, they’re capable of chilling out for a little bit. They also respectfully take their loudness out of my near vicinity if they happen to be off from school on a day that I have to work.
They aren’t screaming at each other(most of the time they’re not anyway, they do have their moments). They aren’t being rude or mean. They’re just having fun and being kids.
All their activity, the constant moving around… it’s a good thing. They are capable of sitting still if they have to do homework or when they read or if they watch a movie. But they’d much rather be moving. Karate, soccer, basketball, baseball, running: those are all activities they’re involved in. But they also run around playing games they’ve invented, jump on the trampoline, ride their bikes, and run and even dance around.
None of these things are activities they shouldn’t be doing. They’re the same sorts of activities that you’ll find pins and articles on, with tips for how to get your kids to be more active. Healthy activities. They aren’t running out into the street where they can get hurt, they aren’t chasing some kid around bullying him, they aren’t throwing sticks at each other. They’re just playing.
Sure, sometimes, I want a little more peace and quiet and wish they would just STOP.
But that’s more on me. They aren’t actually doing anything wrong.
I hate the expressions kids will be kids and boys will be boys when they are used to excuse away bad behavior.
But some behavior really is just kids being kids.
Not bad kids, not loud kids, not obnoxious kids.
Just plain ol’ kids.
And if that means that it’s a little loud and busy around here, I’m okay with that.
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My younger daughter is the loudest, most active child I know. It’s part of her charm!
So much personality, right?
I definitely understand the concept of “chaos.” 🙂
Sandy
I’m sure you do! But it’s a joy, really.
Oh, thank you, thank you for this post! I have 3 boys as well, 8 and under. I can’t tell you how often I have people stop me when I’m out to let me know that I have my hands full or to remark about how loud/crazy my house is. Most of the time I reply with something about how fun life is but my oldest finally asked me, “Mom, are boys just really bad? Why does everyone say stuff like that?” It kind of hit me how it sounds to them… if it bothers me, imagine how the little boys people are talking about feel.
Personally, I see nothing wrong with the loud, exuberant way children live. Not just boys but all kids!
Exactly- they’re full of joy and energy. There isn’t anything wrong with that!
It is busy and often loud… but I love it!
Sometimes I think that people revert to that old idea that kids should be seen and not heard but the noise and the mess and the busyness comes with the territory of having kids and kids being kids.
Seen and not heard just isn’t realistic. In certain moments, yes, but not all the time.
My husband and I are convinced that we have the loudest kids on the planet. They aren’t bad, they’re just playing. It’s the third kid that makes it so loud. Like you said if one is playing quietly the other two are still making lots of noise. Plus they sit quietly at school most of the day so there is pent up energy in them that needs to get out. It’s interesting to me that the same people who comment on how overweight kids are today are the same ones who complain about kids playing.
They don’t have enough activity in school. So they do need to get it out somewhere. That is rather ironic about the people who complain.
Great reminder, Shell! Lately, everything irritates me. Sigh…
I agree!
My daughter is very loud, and she’s just being a kid. Sometimes I think she’s TOO loud, but it is what it is. She’s not one of those dainty, quiet girls.
I don’t like those expressions either. Children are often times loud and busy and always on the move. Because yes, that’s what kids do. But kids can be loud and always on the move and still be respectful, they can know when to be quiet and chill out.
I sorta posted about this recently too, just saying so you know I can relate. 🙂 A lot of the time I feel like my kids are the loud ones (around some particular friends anyway). But it is exactly that, they are just being KIDS and I’m totally okay with that. If they cannot act like kids WHILE they are actually kids when can they? Never! 😉
I couldn’t agree more 🙂