Volume control for a five year old

[MadMadamMim]

I need help.

My five and a half year old DS is SO LOUD. I am worn out of telling him ssshh, calm down, lower your volume, settle slightly... nothing works! Even his normal speaking voice is loud. I can hear him wherever he is in the house, and he talks ALL. DAY. LONG.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Or experience of it? Can someone please tell me it's a phase, that he'll grow out of at six?! [hopeful]

Yes my middle dc was soooo loud. Seems to have grown put of it now (8). Has a great singing voice now tho

My ds 6... still have volume control problems.. sorry!!

puts head in hands<

Argh. I'm just so tired of hearing myself asking/telling him to be quiet! I love him to bits and he can be so lovely but he is all I hear, ALL DAY!!!

Sorry, but my 14 yr old still talks loudly! My 8 yr old is also very loud but not just when talking!

Yep me too, DS1 now 7 has always been loud and has no volume control.... At all....DS2 who is 6 in two days has just started it too....so now DD who is four has to shout to be heard..... It's so loud here...
The only thing that helps us is having no background noise. So no radio on at breakfast time (cry), no washing machine spinning etc etc. It helps a bit.
Sorry no solution here if anyone else has will be happy to hear it!

Hi,

I used to work in primary schools and we would always have a visual chart to show the younger children, (and children who were naturally loud!!) how loud they were and how we expected them to be in the classroom! It's hard to describe but....kind of like a thermometer and the higher up you got the louder the voice, so right at the bottom would be a sign like no entry for silence, a little way up would be whispering, then talking, then shouting. We then talked to them about where they should be on the chart. Lots of "that's very loud, that's your outside voice". We would have an arrow pointing to the part of the 'thermometer' we expected the children to be at that point. A little too strict and regimented for home use perhaps but maybe something you can do with it?!

Not sure I've described it very well......

'indoor voices' that's what they say at school.

I agree that you should try the no background noise thing. DH didn't used to understand why I couldn't bear the TV or radio on 'in the background' until this summer holiday when now he understands the need to peace! :)

my 4yold nephew is like this - he makes our ears bleed! He's just been tested & found to be deaf in one ear due to fluid or something. Might be worth asking for a hearing test just to check there's no problem?

Madmomma - I have seriously considered taking him to the doctor and asking about it, but think I might just look like a neurotic mother...

I definitely like the idea of trying no background noise, we'll try that one tomorrow and see how it goes - What do I do in Sainsburys though so the whole shop doesn't have to listen to "WHY ARE WE HAVING A BLUE ONE? I DON'T LIKE THE BLUE ONES, CAN WE HAVE A GREEN ONE? NANNY'S FRIEND HAS A GREEN ONE. I LIKE GREEN. DO YOU LIKE GREEN MUMMY?"

I have tried the 'indoor voices' and when I can finally get him to stop shouting talking long enough to listen to me ask him to keep it down it lasts for about thirty seconds then we're back to loud again. >sigh

Nooooo, you won't look neurotic; you're only asking for a hearing test - you might actually be able to bypass your gp & go to a gateway centre type place for one. Just think, if he does need his ears syringing or something - imagine the peace afterwards when he can hear himself properly!