Yesterday we had friends over all day, the amazing type of friends where there are little to no fights to break up all day, so while I was with my children all day, I actually had minimal interaction with them. It was a fun, pleasant day. While putting them to bed I gave them extra nose kisses and snuggles. I tried to treasure each one for a few seconds.
I attribute this to a talk I had just finished reading in which it says: "Heavenly Father sees His children, created in His eternal image, with magnificent and glorious potential...We want to use the light of the gospel to see others as the Savior does—with compassion, hope, and charity."
I did run into a question: Does calling count as yelling? When I needed my kids to come in to the kitchen, I called their names. Is that yelling? My voice was raised, but there was no anger at all. Does it count? If yes, how do I get them to come without calling? We had a dinner bell in my house growing up. Maybe I'll buy a dinner bell...
I often yell up/downstairs for Toby, but I will not yell more than his name. He always yells "WHAT?!" and I refuse to answer. So he comes to find me. But because I don't respond to his "WHAT" I don't have to yell what I need him to do. It's a good system and one of the only smart things I have done as a parent :P
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea! Limiting it to yelling a name one time.
DeleteI don't think calling counts as yelling, but if it bothers you my sister and her husband developed a very specific whistle. When they use it (it sounds like a bird call) everyone in the family is supposed to meet up by them. It may sound like they are "whistling" for their kids like they are calling a dog, but it doesn't feel that way. It's just a unique sound they can pick out in a crowd and respond to.
ReplyDeleteThe kids were apparently taught to ALWAYS come when it is used because they will immediately stop what they are doing and head to the parents. It's pretty cool to see.
I was just talking to a friend about that! She said she had a similar thing with her kids! They installed it so the kids could call for her in a crowd. If they call "mom" everyone looks and often the correct mother ignores, but if they do the bird call, the mom knows it's her kids asking for her.
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