Creating a Quiet Home

Doors slam. A child screams. Mom yells to a child three rooms away. The phone rings. The computer dings. And each and every voice escalates to be heard over the other. And louder and louder the house becomes. But how would one create a quiet home with so many people in one house? As you are sure to know by now we are a homeschooling family and this is largely a homeschool blog. What place does a post about a quiet home have on a blog where almost all of the people are home all the time? In homes where the family is gone all day and largely unengaged it is easy to maintain a quiet home. But in a home where there is play, learning, and interaction the noise level is harder to control. And that is what inspired this post. So, if you have ever felt overwhelmed by the noise level in your home, this post is for you.

As with so many things in a home, momma really does set the tone. If we as momma’s are yelling to get someone’s attention, banging pots and pans in frustration, and blocking out the demands of the toddler instead of addressing them the house will be overwhelmingly loud. And it truly is our fault and we can fix it. It takes self-discipline and hard work but it can be done.

We must stop trying to do so many things. We just can’t stop washing dishes to walk down the hallway to check on the sibling squabble so we yell. We don’t want to get up from the computer so we call to the older child to stop what they are doing to get the younger sibling a drink. And then before we know it the children are in the habit of calling to mom or to each other. Now I am not saying that we should never call to our children, there are times that it is necessary, but many times it is seated in our lack of self-discipline.

If we are self-disciplined enough to not overload our plates to the point of being stretched so thin as to not have time to stop and tend to the very reasons why we are at home our home would be so much more peaceful. And wouldn’t that be nice?

When I find the noise level in my home growing to an uncomfortable level I start within myself to break the cycle. I begin by almost whispering to the children when giving instruction. This causes the children to stop and be much more attentive to me when I speak because if they don’t, they can’t hear me. And, if they are more attentive I have to reprimand them less so it lowers the noise level even more. It is amazing how even toddlers respond to this. If they are whining and fussing for momma’s attention and she kneels down and, in a whisper, asks what is wrong many times the fit stops right there. It is truly unreal how just a gentle tone can go so far in setting the mood, and noise level, in a home.

If I am focusing on creating a quiet home during a particular season I will also try really hard to keep our running to a minimum and be very intentional about giving us plenty of time to get ready. One of the times that I find myself “barking” orders more loudly than necessary is when I am trying to get out the door and we are rushed or when I haven’t left enough time for dinner prep and I am scurrying to get it done and on the table in an insane time frame. It doesn’t really move the children any faster and I have actually found that they shut down when I start to stress and hurry them.

If you are longing for a method to help you in creating a quiet home, I hope these thoughts have helped you a little. So, here is a summary of my tips –

• Momma sets the tone. Slow down and turn “it” down.
• Stop what you are doing and come down to their level. They are the reason you are home, everything else can wait.
• Just stop. In the middle of a crazy moment and just whisper. See how quickly everyone stops to hear you.
• Keep the running and going to a minimum. Leave lots of time and keep things calm.
• Enlist their help in an organized way and watch your children shine!