Screaming for fun!?!?!?

Our boys are 21 months old. Our more "spirited" one has started "screaming" for fun... he's not pitching a fit, not screaming to get something... just screaming to make noise. Of course, when he does it, his twin does it too. The primary screamer is the less verbal one, but he certainly has an ability to communicate what he needs/wants. so... what to do? Ignore it and hope it extinguishes? Saying "no screaming" seems to be totally ineffective. Or should I try to give him an alternate behavior... I tried teaching them whispering this weekend just bc I was desperate for some peace and quiet!! :lol:

any ideas? Anyone else experienced this??

TIA!

-maria
DS1 5.5
DS2 DS3 21 months

 

Mine have started doing this and I just join them in the screaming. To me, it's just about the fun of making a lot of noise, and they stop soon after they see that I think it's a good idea. I also join them in banging and making noise at the table. I tried for MONTHS to get them to stop banging, etc., at the table with no success. When I bang my hands on the table with them, it stops within seconds, with everyone laughing. When I scream with them, they laugh at me and do it a little longer and move on. I've decided to make those noisy episodes a game, like a sing-a-long, and we all have fun.

I've also been teaching the twins how to whisper, as the baby naps near the kitchen where the twins play in the afternoons while I get dinner ready. They're actually catching on and will whisper and say "shhhhh" when they see her on the monitor on the kitchen counter.

 

Oh yeah, we went through this phase. It was hard to do but the more I ignored it, the less they did it. Eventually they got past it and don't do it anymore. I think they like to not only see how loud they can be but also get an reaction from other people.

 

I made noises with them. It's quite the stress reliever!

 

Glad to hear I'm not the only one- screaming and banging on things. If you can't beat'em join 'em And I agree it is a great stress reliever and they get bored with it quicker. But if any one has tricks for getting them to not touch the DVR- that I could use help on.

 

My dd likes to scream for fun too - and especially if we are at a restaurant, grocery store, etc. She is usually laughing and having a ball, and they laugh at each other when they do it so I don't mind too much but I do hope it passes soon!

 

My DD does this when she is really excited (like when it's time for a bath or to go bye bye). I think it's cute, but I suppose if she did it more often, I wouldn't like it. At this point I haven't tried anything to curb the screaming.

 

add me to the list of scream-along-with-'em. it usually ends with lots of laughs & giggles. GL!

 

Mine do it too. I like it. I think I will be sad when it passes. I did capture it on video!

 

How about ear plugs? :laughing:

Eleanor and Ethan do this from time to time (it is getting less frequent). Most of the time I just let them get on with it. Sometimes I will join in, but unlike some pp's that makes them carry on longer, or put my hands over my ears and jokingly say "Oh no! Too Loud!!" but they think this is one of the funniest things and will scream even louder, so I don't do that often!
I'm lucky that they understand/enjoy and (mostly) follow shushing, so if the screaming really gets too much I can say "Shhhh!" and they will stop screaming, put their fingers on their lips and 'shhhh' too. Eleanor picked it up from all the times when Ethan was sleeping and we would show her and say 'shhh', she now puts her toys to sleep and shushes everyone and says shhh to any pictures of things sleeping. Ethan picked it up because he loves to copy Eleanor. We also play at whispering and they think that's just as fun.

 

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1283307804233


Does it sound like this!

 

Oh too cute!!!! He looks (and sounds) just like my Jack! :wub: Jack is the screamer in our house.

 

Another that tends to join in! Nothing else worked any discouragement just prolonged it. If we were in a restaurant or something I would attempt to shush them, but usually ended up giving them food. They didn't really try to scream and chew at the same tim.