Sshhh

Image from connortomas.com 

I have a confession. I'm not proud about it but I am the type of mum who Sshhh's her children quite a lot. 

It's not that I don't like them to play and make noise, it's just that there is only so much screaming, shouting, singing and banging I can handle before I start to feel like I am losing my mind. I often try to nip noise making in the bud because all too often it goes from happy and playful to crying and squabbling. It can be highly frustrating. 

I am finding that when we go out people seem to fall into two camps. Those that look on with disdain if your children are being loud, tantruming and generally running amok and those who embrace it as just kids being kids. I had an experience of the latter yesterday.

I was out with the children and my soon to be mum in law. We visited a lovely little church tea room and sat down for tea and cupcakes. When we arrived it was empty but slowly it began to fill with lovely old aged pensioners, no doubt meeting up to enjoy a quiet cuppa and a natter. It was at this moment my baby decides to practice his babbling skills. "Baba dada dada mama", he garbled at the top of his voice. Quickly my daughters joined in, adding a extra layer of volume to the ever increasing din.

"Ssshhh, sssh, sssh" I hissed, worried what the room of people mostly in their 80's must have been thinking. Then out of nowhere an elderly lady stopped me in my tracks and set about telling me; "Leave them, their singing". "They've got voices, let them sing" she turned to the children "Go on use your voices." 

I felt ashamed, because what the lovely old lady said was true. They really weren't doing any harm and kids will be kids.I think there is a fine line between letting your children express themselves and letting them run wild, but sometimes I think I am forever trying to keep my children in line because I don't want anyone else to do it for me. I don't want anyone to think badly of my children or their dad and I so I try to raise them to be mindful of others and be well behaved in public. Maybe I've been taking it a bit too far and need to relax a little, after all they don't stay small for long and if a couple of 80 year olds can put up with a bit of a din then I'm sure I can. 

Have you learnt anything about yourself lately through someone else's actions?