Sometimes a good idea can go horribly, horribly wrong.
Which by definition then makes it a bad idea, I guess.
I had one of those ideas a couple of weeks ago during our family night. We've been trying to teach Grant to be reverent at church just so DeNae wouldn't take it upon herself to show up in our sacrament meeting to give us the stink eye.
Anyway, we talked about reverence for James (no laying down on the pew, active listening, etc.) and reverence for Grant: no shrieking, even the happy kind.
Grant is at the age where volume control is totally foreign to him. He's like an SNL character who operates only at LOUD.
So I got an idea. I thought it was a good idea so I implemented it, but I guess the proof is in the pudding and this was a pudding that went horribly awry.
For our activity to follow our lesson, I thought we could teach him a game that went like this. James and I would make loud random noises ("blah blah blah!") and then Kenny would shush us ("Shhhh!") and we would immediately quiet. Then we'd be loud again and Kenny would shush us and we'd quiet right away. The object, of course, was to teach Grant how to respond to a cue to be quiet.
It seemed so smart at the time.
Grant thought it was hilarious. He broke into giggles every time Kenny shushed us. Then Grant decided it was his turn. He'd blabber until shushed.
Sadly, it turns out that he interpreted the shushed moments as a short interlude before he could holler at the top of his lungs again. So um, I guess the game misfired a little.
We figured this out almost immediately and quickly transitioned to refreshments. ("What's for dessert?" "I don't know." "Let's just all walk to the liquor store and pick out a candy." "How about if I give James five bucks and he can go.")
Turns out, though, that this is the game which keeps on giving. Grant also loves to shush people. If you're singing, he shushes you. Not because he doesn't like singing; he likes shushing. And it's not just us, it's EVERYONE. It's taken more than one person aback, like oh, say, my mother-in-law. She's not often shushed by toddlers. I explain, but it doesn't change the startlement.
I wonder if this is what they mean when they say the road to hell is paved with good intentions?
Posts
23 comments:
Funny, funny. Love your lead in. Glad you taught that FHE lesson before we went to the creperie so we could actually chat! (he was such a sweetie!) (not that his shushing everyone makes him NOT a sweetie, of course.) (you know what I mean)
yep, that's exactly what it means. Look on the bright side. At least you didn't play a game where you punched him in the nose every time he was loud. Huh...?
I laughed at the SNL character reference. :) Yeah, sometimes the best laid plans backfire.
It really does seem like it would have been a good idea. Sorry.
At our house we use a silent signal...(hold over from my teaching days), which is the shhh! motion without the sound.
I really thought you had a good idea, though! Love how you figured out a solution.
Oh the joys of parenthood!!! It's a constant process of figuring out what does and doesn't work.
Thanks for sharing!
that's hilarious! Too bad you're not going to a deaf ward- it wouldnt faze us!:-) Regardless of us being in a deaf ward- we don't want our kids running around and screaming like animals! You know what I am talking about!! :-)When the kids were younger we used to have reeverent training- and we will do it again if needed- that consists of sitting quietly for some time..until they've learned that we mean business. Good Luck!
LOL. So cute!!!
My kids only got quiet when they got older. My little one still makes "Pow", "Bam" noises during the prayer. *sigh*
LOL!
Things like this are the reason I stopped telling myself, "My kids will never..." because they invariably do!
Stuff like this happens around here all the time. If I had one I'm sure my parenting license would have been revoked by now...
Just wait til he yells AMEN! in the middle of the sacrament prayer and sends everyone into uncontrollable fits of laughter.
I've seen many, many children try that one.
My 3 y/o also does NOT know how to talk softly. Anywhere. It's either LOUD or a deliberate whisper when I cover his mouth and ask him to whisper at church. But his speaking voice is just LOUD. And when he gets excited..........watch out.
HA!! I am no envisioning what my future is going to be as I try and teach reverence to my toddler.
Sheesh. Did you all notice how Melanie didn't even link to my blog or anything? Just a drive-by sassing and on with the post. Cryin' out loud...
And I also noticed that "Baby G" has become "Grant", which, incidentally, was my grandfather's name. Too bad, kid. You got a couple good years, and now it's "Hey! No yelping during sacrament meeting, or that mean ol' Sister DeNae will drag you off in a sack like that weird Santa they have in Holland."
Can't wait to see you next month. I'll be the one at the airport, sticking my tongue out at you, grabbing that baby, and making a run for it.
Those without toddlers (not yet or long gone) seem to have oodles of advise of how to get the little ones to be quiet in church. Those of us with toddlers know the noise is just inevitable, no matter what we try. Kudos to you for trying.
I hate when my good ideas backfire. Especially when it happens like that and I get to be reminded for several days/weeks.
If you figure out a good way to teach them a quiet voice, please share. I'm sick of the loud "whispered" comments in the middle of church.
That is too funny. Sometimes I wonder if everything we try with good intentions as parents doesn't somehow backfire. Because it certainly always seems to!
Once my oldest told me the reason we sing in church is so that everyone has the chance to finally talk without bothering anyone.
I love kids.
DeNae totally highjacked your comments! That gal is funny.
Anyway, yes, some of my "best" parenting ideas have left me wondering if I am even smart even to be a parent. Oops, too late.
I am a "mean mom" but if the kids misbehaved in church, then they had to practice being reverent when we got home. I'd set a chair in the middle of the living room and they had to sit there (arms folded, no making noise) for a certain amount of time, which would be restarted if they got off the chair, talked, etc. First time was two minutes, then next week was five. My daughter was up to 15 minutes but now she's really good. The Boy needs a occasional reminder but he's pretty good, too.
How great is it that he "shushes" people! Take him up to someone that drives you crazy (someone that talks incessantly) and have Grant "SHUSH!" them!
That is a great idea. :)
Ain't motherhood grand. LOL
I really thought you had a good idea, though! Love how you figured out a solution.
data entry work from home
Post a Comment