Yes Ma'am

With four kids moving about the house at all times you can imagine that sometimes the noise level is at an escalated level.  So naturally in order for me to gain their attention I would attempt to speak over the volume so they could hear me.

But I have recently become aware of a new technique.  Instead of talking over them... I talk softer.  Really, I know that it would seem impossible for them to hear me and believe me I bought into that assumption for a long time.

But it turns out that if you train them to hear your voice then they can pick it out of a crowd of noises.

I had assumed that they just didn't know I was talking to them, however I did find it peculiar that I could have a private conversation... when they weren't around and then hear them repeat it word for word!  

I realized that I had been teaching them to ignore me.  Most of the time when I had asked them to do something I would get busy and forget to follow up with them.  One of my biggest mistakes has been to yell out tasks from other rooms, which is just an invitation for an, "Oh, I didn't hear you mama."

So we began the "Yes Ma'am Points", and life hasn't been the same since!

I am retraining them to listen for my voice.  Now, when the hear me call for them the respond with a, "Yes. Ma'am," and then they come and find me.  I make sure that tasks are given face to face so there is no chance of me being misunderstood... or not heard.

They know that they have to respond to my voice right away to get their points and then they have to follow through on the task.  I now have kids running to me when they hear me say something....WOW what a difference!!  

Now, I talk softer and get better results making me a very happy mama.  

And in the words of my husband, 

"If mama ain't happy then nobody's happy!"