Why are kids so loud? They always seem to be yelling, screaming, and laughing–sometimes at the same time!
It’s not just that they have an abundance of energy; there’s actually a good reason for their vocalizations. Kids have been shown to be more vocal than adults because of the resonating chambers in their skulls which amplify sound. Young children also have higher pitched voices than adults which make them seem louder. And kids play and run around a lot which makes it harder to hear them when they communicate. So what can you do? It might help you if you know why kids are so loud in the first place!
Why does my kid talk so loud
It might seem like your child is talking louder than necessary. Now, say you’re at a library or in church. You’ve just realized that your child is talking right next to you and it feels so loud! You are, after all, whispering. So why is it that when your child talks to you, it feels like he’s practically yelling?
Well, actually kids do talk louder than adults because of how their vocal mechanisms work. Kids have been found to be up to five times louder than adults. The vocal mechanism and structure of kids’ larynx (voice box) allows them to produce sounds with more intensity than adults can. Their noisy play and running around also makes it hard to hear them when they speak, along with their higher pitched voices.
Another variation in loudness perception is between children of different ages. Since young children are in the learning process of using speech, they have this tendency to talk really loudly whenever they encounter a new word. So if your child is telling you about the new word “swim” and his voice feels loud, he might just be excited for hearing a new word that he wants to share with you.
Remember that kids are still in the process of developing their speech patterns and it will take some time before they can adjust their volume to fit the situation. However, you can help them with that by gently reminding them to speak more softly.
They will understand what is really loud or not, and this little reminder will also let them know they have your attention when you want to give your time to listen to them. And the next time they talk to you when the background noise is low, they will automatically talk softly without you telling them to do so.
How do I get my child to talk quietly
One way to get your child to talk quietly is by playing games. Play a game where you have them find an object that you hid.
If they talk loud, tell them, “I can’t hear you.” If they don’t stop, take away their toy or object and give it back when they are quiet.
Another way to get your child to talk quietly is by teaching them how to modulate their voice. Modulation is a technique where you change the tone of your voice based on what the message is that you are trying to convey. For example, if you want your child to do something for you then you would raise your voice at the end of your sentence. You can also modulate your voice when you are asking a question. This is because when you ask a question it suggests that the answer is yes and so you would raise your voice at the end of your sentence to let them know that they did well.
Another way to get your child to talk quietly or not use inappropriate language, is to redirect them before they say it. Tell your child that you want them to use nice words and if they don’t you will give them a time out or take away their favorite toy.
Another way is by using sticker charts. First, get two stickers and put one on the refrigerator and one on a piece of paper that has your child’s name on it. Then when your child uses nice language or doesn’t use inappropriate language give them a sticker at the end of each day. This will show them that their actions count in which way they get stickers.
When your child is playing with others, tell him/her to be quiet after telling them why. Tell them, “you need to be quiet because I’m trying to sleep.” Make sure they know that you are saying it for a specific reason.
In truth from what I have learned with my four kids the trick is to know you kids. Each will react differently and where timeout may work for one it will not change the other. A game where whispering is the only way you respond may also work with one and not another. So get to know them, figure out what makes them tick and then use it.
Conclusion
We all know kids are loud. But why? Well, there is actually a good reason for that! Kids have been shown to be more vocal than adults because of the resonating chambers in their skulls which amplify sound. Young children also have higher pitched voices than adults and this makes them seem louder. Kids also play and run around a lot which makes it harder to hear them when they communicate. If you want your child to talk quieter, try speaking at his or her level rather than talking down to him or her as if he or she were younger than their age would suggest. And of course, the biggest thing you can do to get your child to be quieter is to teach them not to scream when they are mad or excited. In the end though each child is different. So don’t get discouraged if one kid is quite as a mouse and the other is wild. Just learn how to break through to them and enjoy it. They are only little once and then they become loud teenagers who hate everything, except their friends. So when you are wondering why are kids so loud, realize its something they will hopefully grow out of.
