How is it that I can scream and yell to call my kids to come down for dinner and get no acknowledgement. No "Good, I'm starving!" or "I'll be there in a minute." or "I'm not hungry. Give mine to the dog."
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Last night after dinner (they finally showed up after 3 yells), the kids headed off to their preferred location in front of a computer. Tony and I settled down in the den to gossip about friends. As I am prone to do when talking ugly about folks, I spoke quietly...nearly whispering.
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When I finished with all of the juicy details, I heard Will pipe in from upstairs with comments about what I had been saying.
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I'm guessing it has something to do with the tone of my voice. If I'm yelling, I'm interrupting what you're doing with requests of your presence or instructions for a chore. But if I'm whispering, their ears perk up and are able to tune out the TV, I-pod, computer hum and dishwasher to hear exactly what I'm saying.
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From now on when we gossip, I'll do it by e-mail! Oh, but then there is an electronic cookie with my gossip encoded on it. I know! We'll go sit on the swing by the chicken house to gossip. The girls won't tell and the boys would rather be beaten than go near the chickens. Hopefully, the person I'm gossiping about won't suddenly appear from around the side of the house.
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NOTE: Refraining from gossiping would be the correct solution, but is not an option!
12 comments:
I could yell, talk loud and they could still ignore me. Let me whisper on word they are all ears! So true....is there a lesson in there about watching what we say??
Nah! I didn't think so.
The obvious solution is to shout the gossip, of course!
Quit talking about me...my nose was itching and my ears were burning last night and now I know it was you! LOL!
Selective hearing. I've decided that that is what the man-child that takes up my house has. selective hearing. LOLOLOL
holy chicken coop... are you talkin' about ME?!!?
LOLOL
;-) robelyn
That ALWAYS used to happen to me at work--as soon as I'd start gossiping about someone, sure as shootin' they'd walk around the corner! I think you and hubs should learn sign language. And I agree--not gossiping is totally not an option!
Totally hear you about the kids!!
Hugs, Lisa
You just need an old fashioned gossip bench!
You forgot the Parent Cardinal Rule: Children pick up on whispers and dirty language. That's why I always whisper and swear around kids. Someone has to teach them. :)
I love this post.. :)
I have noticed this same behavior in my students. At home it is called "mother deaf" and at school it is called "teacher deaf".
The only cure for this is to whisper anything you want them to hear!
That is soooo true the only time my kids are quiet (shut-up) is when I need to say something that they shouldn't hear!!!
My Dad has always had "selective hearing" you could be sitting right next to him, talking right to his face and say "how was your dinner" and he'll retort with "Cows were the winner?" Then he could be sitting in front of the tv, with it blaring and hear my conversation with my brother (that has nothing to do with him) two rooms away and yell something to us about what we're talking about! My whole life he's done that, LOL.
It's a teen thing...for sure! Total tune out unless it is something you don't want them to hear...I'm convinced! Glad I am on this side of it now.
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