Shrieking

Baylinn has started shrieking in the last week. I don't know how else to explain this sound. Think Mariah Carey-like. On the plus side, if she gets any higher only the dog will hear her.

She does it mainly when she wants something. Mealtimes are SO tough because she shrieks every time I turn to feed her sister. She also shrieks in her crib when she wakes up, to let us know she wants out NOW. She used to just hang out and play in her crib, but as soon as she's awake she's screaming bloody murder to be picked up.

I don't know how to address this. DH tells her "Quiet!" but that doesn't seem to work. Neither does ignoring her - she just gets louder. She will also do it sometimes when she's just playing happily.

Anyone else have a screamer and want to assure me she's going to grow out of this??!!

 

DS has gone through phases like that. My policy is to ignore it and then lavish attention on him when he uses a "normal" voice. And it's always been just a phase! He hasn't done it for a long time.

 

One of my boys loves to communicate like that especially when we are in the car. It drives me absolutely crazy, but I ignore it. It takes everything in me to do so but I figure even if he gets negative attention for it, he will continue to do so.

 

We always (try anyway!) to ignore it too.

And one thing to think about is that when you first start to ignore it, it'll get worse before it gets better! They're used to receiving some kind of attention for it, so when none is received, they escalate. Eventually they'll stop!

And like Holly, we praise when a normal voice is used also.

And one other thing I do when they're getting, louder and louder and louder....I whisper to them. Sometimes I have to hold them and whisper in their ear, but it usually grabs their attention and they want to hear what I'm saying so they get quiet.

 

I think it's a phase and the more you draw attention to it the longer it may last.

 

My girls do this every once in a while and I start shrieking too. They usually stop and look at me funny. Then we all shriek together and start laughing. After a little bit, I tell them we can do it one more time and then we have to finish whatever it was we were doing. We do it one more time, laugh and move back to what we were doing.

 

Both of have mine have gone through (mercifully short) shrieking phases, especially when they were younger and couldn't communicate verbally. We mostly ignored it, figuring that any attention would just encourage her. Plus, at that age, "quiet" doesn't mean much to them. Try to give her what she wants (if you know what it is) before she shrieks, or at a time when she is quiet -- that might help reinforce that shrieking isn't worth it.

But she may just like the way it sounds, in which case there isn't much you can do but wait it out.

 

I remember that phase well <_< . I did acknowledge them so they didn't get louder to get my attention but just very briefly. I'd say "goodness that's loud" or something like that and then continue with what we are doing or try to distract them with something else. It seemed to happen in bursts that thankfully would disappear for awhile. The boys have started a new game where they talk at the absolute top of their voices or make car noises or whatever they are doing. At this point I'll sometimes let them do it for a few minutes if it's an okay time and then tell them enough, to please lower their voices. They're old enough that the majority of the time they do.