A shusher's conundrum

I have become one of those moms.

You know the ones. The ones who shush their kids.

I can honestly say I never thought I too, would become a shusher.

In fact, for years I used to criticize the moms who used to do that, arguing that when they shush their child they are actually louder making the shush sound than the child was.

Yet, here I am years later doing the exact same thing that used to annoy me.

I think I have become a bad shusher too. I think it has just become a bad habit; and I am starting to wonder if it even works anymore since I have to shush the kids more frequently.

It is not like I do it all the time. In fact, at home I hardly ever shush the kids. It only seems to take place when I am in a place where children are sort of expected to be quiet -- like a library or church.

I have noticed I commit the shushing crime most often at church. It is so hard keeping my boys quiet during the service. I have tried all the tricks, coloring books, books, stuffed animals and games that are quiet, yet nothing seems to work.

Try telling a two-year-old boy he has to whisper and be quiet for an hour. I think my boys actually get louder after I tell them to be quiet. Like it is some sort of a game. Sometimes I cannot even recall what the pastor said during the sermon because my attention in spent on keeping the kids quiet so others around us can here.

I am sure many in my church have seen my so-called mom’s look. I have not seen it, but I am sure if I did it would probably scare me and I would never do it again. When the mom look doesn’t work, I throw out the finger snap and that is when the boys know I am done. The finger snap works good, but I don’t want to be doing that all of the time as it too can be distracting.

With all of this going on it is no wonder why we sit in the back of the church.

It is a good location just in case I need to take one of the kids out when they have a temper tantrum. Because of where we sit I start rationalizing our seating position and think if people want to hear the sermon they can sit somewhere else.

I know this shouldn’t be my attitude, but there is a reason we sit in the same spot every week. It’s not all the way in the back, but close enough that the boys and I can exit quickly without creating a scene.

Regardless of where I sit, I think I am going to make an effort not to shush the kids anymore. I just have to decide what I am going to do to replace it.