Teaching Children to be Quiet
Amanda entered the church with her three-year old son in tow. As she shifted the bulging diaper bag on her shoulder, she scanned the pews for an appropriate seat, finally settling on one as far back as possible. That way I can make a quick escape when Joey acts up, she thought. Sure enough, as soon as the singing was over and the pastor stepped up to the pulpit, Joey decided he wanted some noise of his own. Within seconds, Amanda was rummaging through her diaper bag searching for something – anything – that would quiet the youngster. After a succession of books, cheerios, crayons, and battles, Amanda escorted out little Joey in frustration. Within a few minutes, they came marching back, only to repeat the scene several times throughout the service.
Is it possible to teach a youngster to be quiet? How can it be done?
I may not have all the ideas for every situation, but I have found something that worked very well for me as I taught my seven children to behave quietly in church. Here are some ideas that may help:
1. Use a gentle tap on the head.
Shhhhhh is one of the very loudest sounds in the English language, but for some reason it is that very sound that we in America use to communicate the need for quiet. Instead, I tap the baby gently on the side of the head to indicate the need to be quiet. It may take some time, but eventually they begin to make the association between the “head tap” and the need to stop making noise.
2. Steel yourself against their crying.
Rest assured little Johnny won’t take too kindly to being told to do anything, or not to do anything. Proverbs 19:18 says, “…let not thy soul spare for his crying.”
3. Be patient and endure until the association is made in the child’s mind.
This is where we all tend to fall apart. In one respect, it’s a contest of endurance. Who can hold out the longest, you or your child? For our child’s sake, we need to be the ones to help them develop self-control. They will eventually learn that if they act up, they get “plinked,” and if they act up more, they go out for “additional instruction.”
These are just a few quick tips to help the young mothers. If applied consistently, these steps are very effective in teaching a child to be quiet. Works for me!
