Having three small kids often means that it gets quite noisy around our house. They're not rowdy (most of the time), but are simply children, and hence make noise. Having friends with many kids over makes things go over some magical threshold for me. I feel like I can't hear my own thoughts. Forget trying to make conversation. What I try to do is to encourage the kids to go and play in the children's room. But anyone who has small kids knows that they won't stay there for long. I'm not a fan of using a video for babysitting, nor constantly pre-organizing "quiet" activities. I believe that especially at home, kids should let their imagination roam - and learn how to deal with "boredom".
But during any larger party that we organize, I at some point reach a point where I wish I could just forget all taboos, common sense and proper behavior and shout: "All kids silent, for an hour at least!" I could imagine less polite phrases here as well.
Kids are wonderful. Friends are wonderful. But lots of kids and lots of friends means a lot of noise (on the part of the kids) and very little conversation (on part of the parents).
My favorite mantra that makes everything find: It's a phase. It's a phase. It's a phase...
I totally relate...!! 'Secretly' I'm glad our boys are not in the inviting-friends-over phase yet. Well, the older already invites people but he doesn't insist they actually come ;) I must work on steeling my nerves for the years to come, especially with 2 boys in the house... soon probably 10++ when friends are included...!
ReplyDeleteWe've had parties with 15+ adults and 10+ kids around. It's bonkers. I always ask my husband afterward: is there something wrong with our house? Is there a way we can better sound-insulate the walls? I feel like I'm going insane and that it is a shouting match between people trying to communicate. But, I suppose, the socialization is still fun in the end and when the kids are older and the weather is better, in our case they can run around outside... fingers crossed.
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