Feb 9, 2010
On shouting for silence
I feel the irony and abject hypocrisy of yelling, “Be quiet!” Yet I find it almost impossible to not do sometimes. You?
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As a student-teacher, I recently found myself yelling, “Why are you yelling?” at my 3rd graders.
A friend told me that surprise choke slams are MUCH more effective.
I don’t have kids so I wouldn’t know.
In my Sunday School class, I recently added a baby food jar filled with marbles. It’s a real attention getter.
The two older kids I watch have a tendency to burst into the baby’s room while I’m trying to put her down for a nap. In a loud whisper I command them, “Go away!” My loud whisper usually wakes the baby up, while their slamming the door open and shouting does not.
Ever tried to whisper ‘shout loudly’ ?
You’re the dad. It’s not necessarily hypocritical.
And it’s not a sin to be ironic.
The irony here is rather hilarious, and yes, I have this problem very often.
On the other hand, have you ever had a heated discussion in hushed tones and said in a clenched teethed “whispered yell”, “Stop yelling!”? And comes the repy in a clenched teethed “whispered yell”, “I’m not yelling! You’re the one yelling!” Talk about irony!
It’s only as hypocritical as it is to execute a criminal for murder or starting a war to bring about peace.
I suppose the real irony was the time I, with a clenched-teeth shout, said to one of your brothers, “Shut up! I’m reading my Bible.”
Wow, you said “Shut up?”
That’s hilarious! Now I don’t feel as bad about my similar mothering moments!
Maybe I said, “Be quiet.” But you know what I was thinking.
I’m just a bit relieved.
Ha ha! As a teacher, I am so with you.
Instead of shouting…whispering threats of duct tape and a closet works too! :D
(I am kidding!) :P
I think we say can say this: If Jesus can do it – so can a parent:
http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Revelation+21%3A3-4
Revelation 21:3-4
” …And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘…neither shall there be mourning, nor crying…’ “
Just shouted this myself seconds before opening Google Reader and reading your new post. The irony.
I typically only get frustrated with my daughter when we are in public, which bends towards the notion that I care more about what people think of me as a parent than I do what people (or even myself) think about my child.
I routinely yell: STOP YELLING!
Because it works.
I don’t think it’s ironic–it’s what you do to get to the point of quiet.
Sometimes I lose my cool with the kids and yell at them to “be kind to each other.” Oy.
Like yelling “Be patient.” That’s what I do.
Sometimes, unfortunately, the power of example is not enough.
Jesus rebuked the wind and said, “Be still!” I suppose he might have been speaking quietly, but I wonder. It had to be loud enough over the wind for a disciple to hear and remember it.
Loud enough over this wind – that’s the key part.
Yes, it is hard not to. It really does help to whisper in those situations when you can remember to do it.
I had the same thoughts of irony today in my classroom as I heard one of my 4-year-old students borrow my all-too-familiar phrase, present every lunch period, “Less talking. More eating.” Another student replied, “Stop saying that. You have to talk to say that, which means you’re not eating either.”
i teach 8th graders. this is an everyday thing…maybe hourly…maybe every ten minutes.
I agree with Sarah. I’m a Middle/High School band director. Happens all the time.
I teach in an elementary school. The signal is a raised hand. One hand goes up and soon the whole room is hands up. The silence is within seconds – even during our 600+ student assemblies.
In my classroom, I have a bell, similar to what you would find on the desk in a hotel lobby. 1 ding and I have silence.
I save my screaming for my 3 kids at home. Crazy huh? 600+ kids are quiet with a simple hand motion and yet 3 at home I feel the need to yell? Perhaps we do always hurt the ones we love. Or maybe it has to do with the 2 drum sets?
I work at a library. My favorite is when parents are checking out their books and turn to yell at their children all the way across the room: “Quit yelling! We’re in a LIBRARY!”
It never seems to work very well for them.
I’ve done it. But what I really mean is “stop getting on my nerves”.
Yes quite often and I get your connotations, but situations vary and sometimes you have I yell for your request for silence to even be heard.