Turn up the volume

As I have mentioned before, I have been told numerous times that my children are so well behaved, and that I make mothering look easy--blah, blah, blah. What people have failed to mention is just how noisy this crew can be!! I am constantly saying throughout the day "Please use an inside voice" and "O.K., how far away from you am standing??" (usually right next to the child). The volume of each child is loud in itself, but when you combine the five together-it can be deafening. A mixture of girls giggling and sometimes taunting each other, boys laughing and making silly sounds, and a baby babbling and shrieking. It's enough to use in lieu of water torture.

Dinnertime can become a circus of singing, laughing, and talking over another with my reminders to lower the volume until I eventually raise my voice over everyone. I really hate that. Why does it have to be that way? It seems that some days they don't think that I mean business until I turn up the volume-then we have total silence. That's not fun either!

It would be nice to find a "happy medium" volume that we are all comfortable with-oh, maybe in the next nine years. While considering our upcoming trans-Atlantic trip, it makes me nervous to have to deal with the thought of yelling at the kids during the long flight. Some people tell me-"Well, you have five kids-what do you expect?". I know that having five kids can be chaotic and noisy sometimes, but the whole world doesn't have to be aware of your presence at all times. I have a feeling that the grandparents and relatives will be so happy to meet and love on this wonderful crew, but that they will breathe a sigh of relief and just listen.to.the.silence. when we leave. Hmmmm....unless Allen and I escape amidst all of the chaos. Chances are, they wouldn't even hear our escape.