[LCBMAX]

SCREEEEEEEEEEEECH<br>
says my 27 month old son, often. We've exiled the poor cats to one room of the house where he rarely goes to save them from the torture - the rest of us can't leave. He is a very verbal sweet often cooperative toddler, learning about how to drive us bananas and (I think) needing to express exuberance. Great, I'm good with all that in general but this is just going on and on, and nothing we do seems to have an effect other than to make it more charged and compelling for him. Solutions that have failed us so far:
<ul><li>
<ul><li>Asking gently, explaining that it hurts our ears the way hitting hurts</li>
<li>Insisting firmly, with the same explanation</li>
<li>Ignoring it</li>
<li>Offering other fun but less piercing exuberant noises that are good for indoors</li>
<li>Snatching him up and plopping him down outside at the first screech, and encouraging some outdoor voices in the right place (as you might for potty training - whoops, that's an outdoor voice, let's take it to the right place!</li>
<li>Praising when he takes himself to the doorstep and leans out to screech at the sky</li>
<li>Giving disapproving silent looks in reaction</li>
<li>Whispering all of the above</li>
</ul></li>
</ul><br>
Nothing's working! Any ideas? Help!

 

[spmamma]

I sooooooooooo wish I had an answer for you. We've been going through the same thing for months now and DD will be 3 next month!<br><br>
Maybe someone else knows what to do??? <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lurk.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lurk">

 

[Llyra]

DD1 is 5, and we're still struggling with this. At least now she's old enough to go outside by herself, so when she's just TOO NOISY I can send her outside for awhile. All three of my kids have yet to learn to control their volume, actually. The only thing that's been consistently helpful for us is changing the setting-- when they're feeling exuberant and wants to yell and shout and holler and whoop it up, I send them outside or into the basement. It's harder I think with an only child, because if you send them to the basement they have nobody to play with. That's a tough one.<br><br>
DD1 understands about yelling, and using an indoor tone, but she gets carried away and excited about things, and forgets. But the years and years of gentle repetition have at least gotten us to the point where she understands. I'm pinning my hopes on some more self-control before she's 7. I have managed to establish that we use normal voices at the dinner table, by sending noisy children to eat by themselves in the kitchen OFTEN. But I've given up on trying too hard, the rest of the day.<br><br>
I think the only real solution is to give it time and some gentle tolerance. It's tough, especially if you're a natural quiet-loving introvert, like DH and I are. I often find myself hiding in the bathroom with the fan on, just sitting quietly for a few minutes to grow my patience back again. Lots of time outdoors to blow off steam and be good and noisy can help.

 

[naturechicplus1]

i'm not sure if this is the same as things you've already tried by ignoring it, etc. it's probably similar to what you've already done, but figured i'd throw it out there.<br>
a friend told me her story of dealing with this problem.<br>
they would say they didn't want to be in the same room with that noise, that it hurt their ears, that they would be happy to hear a *insert what kind of voice you want to hear* voice and they would leave the room if it didn't change. they kept doing this consistently and eventually he would stop. when he would start up again, they would remind him of the type of voice people wanted to be around and if he didn't use it they would leave the room again, etc.<br>
probably something you've already done, but maybe it will help someone else reading on the subject!