My children are the loud children.
I was recently at a friend’s house with her husband and her young son, while the adults talked in the kitchen the children played in the living room down the hall.
A little while later our children came running down the hallway playfully yelling and chasing each other, I smiled, the other adults, not so much.
They were quick to comment,
“that’s too loud and no yelling in the house”.
I didn’t think too much of it, other than to note that this is a common occurrence in my house, as we play tag almost every night and rarely is it quiet.
Once dinner was ready we all sat down to eat, with the kids at the counter and the adults at the table. The kids, ages 2-5, ate and playfully chatted throughout the meal.
At one point the children were almost done and making dinosaur roaring noises at each other.
They were semi-loud and again they were met with sssshhhhh-ing.
I reminded myself, just as I often remind my children, different house different rules as long as no one is hurt or uncomfortable.
But it made me think about my house and my children.
My children are the loud children.
I almost guarantee if you talk to my friends and ask them who has the loudest children they will answer mine.
Up until my latest therapy session I would’ve taken offense to this. Thank god for therapy.
My children are the wild children and at one time I was afraid that meant I had done something wrong as a parent.
But I don’t think I’m doing anything wrong per se, just different.
My children are kind and respectful, they help others, they say please and thank you, but they are also the ones to run screaming through the house as they play dinosaur or jump on the couches as we play pillow fight or tackle.
My children live an unmuted childhood.
My children are the children that will be seen and heard.
Our giggles can be heard throughout the house every night as we laugh and play before bedtime. Our memories consist of night time monster chases and rambunctious hide and seek games.
It is my mission that my children are children first, they have plenty of time to be adults.
We expect children to sit and be quiet so much of the time in school, restaurants, public places, but in my house they will move and they will be loud.
Nothing is wrong with my children because they are the wild children, they just live an unmuted childhood.