Speak up please
Having something to add
One of the first signs of early onset rebellion is the use of speech that cannot be heard or understood well. Once a child is old enough to understand its use, they are also aware of the need to keep it low enough to barely be hard. But the barely is deceptive, because the words are really meant to be heard. But they aren’t meant to have negative consequences. They are an attempt at passive aggressive communication. The first time a child commits this brazen act can be a little comical because the adults were not aware of their comprehension of this skill. The chuckling that follows it can misguide the child, and they may think that they have stumbled onto something worth repeating because it was entertaining. Unfortunately, only the first time gets the easy response. After that, the adults have to react to this offense and that is when the issue changes gears. The child may get into trouble but they also get a new understanding of the power of speech kept to a low volume. Eventually this can lead to words mumbled at a low rate just to give a sarcastic or unwanted reply. Muttering under the breath can occur with adults also. Same basic reasoning. It’s a skill learned well. When the muttering gets serious is when it is uncontrolled. That may be due to a more insidious medical reason. Identifying good uses for this behavior doesn’t get grant money. Humans like its current use.
Take Five
Each week this year, read through the suggestions and see how they call out to you.
- What way do use a low tone?
- How much impact does mumbling have on you?
- How do you feel when you don’t get to hear what is stated?
- What words make you want to scream?
- Does hearing someone use their tone give you any ideas on your own?
Come back each day to see if something changes about the effect of an activity. Repeat choices to identify different thoughts. You are not the same person every day. Your life shouldn’t be either.
Live Alive
