what to expect from a 3 year old

Hi. I have a question about my 3 year old. He screams and yells a lot. I
think he is of an age at which he can understand indoor voice and outdoor
voice. But I am not certain that he has adequate control to remember to use
the normal volume voice indoors. And if he likely is, I am not sure what
mechanism to encourage this. Constant reminding is not working. It is
turning into nagging that is annoying both of us. He will use a normal voice
for 2 minutes, then be right back into yelling.

Thoughts?

S

Hi -

When your 3-year old starts to raise his voice, you LOWER yours so that
he has to be quieter to hear you. You'll also be modelling better
behavior.

The raised-voice business can take a LONG time to sink in. My 6-year
old is still frequently too loud, my 8-year old sometimes as well (but
much less often).

--Beth Kevles

http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic
Disclaimer: Nothing in this message should be construed as medical
advice. Please consult with your own medical practicioner.

NOTE: No email is read at my MIT address. Use the AOL one if you would
like me to reply.

x-no-archive:yes


(Beth Kevles) wrote:


Hi -

When your 3-year old starts to raise his voice, you LOWER yours so that
he has to be quieter to hear you. You'll also be modelling better
behavior.

The raised-voice business can take a LONG time to sink in. My 6-year
old is still frequently too loud, my 8-year old sometimes as well (but
much less often).

In addition to this, you can say - I don't hear and inside voice, and
not answer or walk off or turn your back if he starts to shout.


grandma Rosalie

On Tue, 9 Mar 2004 16:09:18 -0500, "Stephanie Stowe"
wrote:

Hi. I have a question about my 3 year old. He screams and yells a lot. I
think he is of an age at which he can understand indoor voice and outdoor
voice. But I am not certain that he has adequate control to remember to use
the normal volume voice indoors. And if he likely is, I am not sure what
mechanism to encourage this. Constant reminding is not working. It is
turning into nagging that is annoying both of us. He will use a normal voice
for 2 minutes, then be right back into yelling.

Thoughts?

S


Whisper when you talk to him.

Sing: "I am waiting, I am waiting for you for you.
To be quiet. Please be quiet. sh! sh! sh!" Then
put your fingers to your lips and wait.

For fun, get a brown lunch bag. Open it up and tell
him to yell very loud into it. Pretend that his *loud*
voice is in the bag so he has to talk in a quiet voice
until you let it out. Then when you go outside, take
the bag with you and let the loud voice come out to
play.

Remember that loud voices are fun to experiment
with. Provide him opportunities to use different kinds
of voices and tone levels. For example sing the itsy
bitsy spider in a tiny quiet voice, then do the great
big spider in a big loud voice. As you sing different
songs, notice the volume with him. This way he can
learn to *hear* the differences. You can also do this
with songs on the CD player - ask him which ones are
loud and which are soft. And talk about when it's fun
and ok to use loud voices and when it is not.

Talk about noises that are soft or loud. Go on a walk
through your neighborhood and listen for birds or
crickets in the spring or fall. Go out to the country
for a visit and talk about how quiet it is there in comparison
to the noises of the city or town. Listen to a babbling
brook. Read a quiet book.

Read The Noisy Book and/or The Quiet Noisy Book
by Margaret Wise Brown.

Read other books about hearing and sound.

Good Luck!



--
Dorothy

There is no sound, no cry in all the world
that can be heard unless someone listens ..

The Outer Limits

"Stephanie Stowe" wrote in message
...
Hi. I have a question about my 3 year old. He screams and yells a lot. I
think he is of an age at which he can understand indoor voice and outdoor
voice. But I am not certain that he has adequate control to remember to
use
the normal volume voice indoors. And if he likely is, I am not sure what
mechanism to encourage this. Constant reminding is not working. It is
turning into nagging that is annoying both of us. He will use a normal
voice
for 2 minutes, then be right back into yelling.

Thoughts?

S



Thanks guys. All good. I did not want to make a big fat hairy issue out of
it. You guys have some terrific thoughts.

S