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Indoor voice.
The indoor voice is a very special way of talking we use when we are indoors or inside. It is a quiet voice. Acceptable variations on the indoor voice include whispers, writing, moving ones lips, and sign language.
They do not include screaming nonsense back in forth at the top of your lungs. Seriously, no.
For the purpose of this discussion, indoors shall include any area that includes at least one door. There are some exceptions (sports arenas, for example, tend to use outdoor voices), but that's the basic clue. You are in an enclosed space with a door.
A bus, for example, is indoors. In addition to the aforementioned door, you can tell your indoor/outdoor status by the presence of a roof, several walls, and any number of people who don't know you and don't *want* to know you, much less hear you scream.
Children are not exempt from the indoor voice rule. While it is to be expected that children, being new to the world, will have difficulty remembering when they are indoors or outdoors, and also may have difficulty knowing how to speak quietly (vocal modulation here), it must be understood that any child so young is to be accompanied at all times by a responsible adult.
Responsible adults may briefly use their outdoor voice to tell the children in their charge to shut up already! This is an acceptable breach of normal indoor/outdoor rules. Other alternatives include distraction, duct tape, and egress into an outdoor area.
Should the responsible adult be unwilling to take care of the child(ren) in question, any other adult is hereby authorized to yell the words "SHUT UP!" or "Indoor voice, people!" instead. Especially on a bus. But not me, because my throat hurts already. I've come down with a bad case of hypochondria.
Sincerely,
Me.
(The person in question wasn't even *trying* with these two kids. She seemed to think that staring out the window was an acceptable alternative to stopping her kids from 1. yelling 2. climbing over the seats 3. smacking each other)
The indoor voice is a very special way of talking we use when we are indoors or inside. It is a quiet voice. Acceptable variations on the indoor voice include whispers, writing, moving ones lips, and sign language.
They do not include screaming nonsense back in forth at the top of your lungs. Seriously, no.
For the purpose of this discussion, indoors shall include any area that includes at least one door. There are some exceptions (sports arenas, for example, tend to use outdoor voices), but that's the basic clue. You are in an enclosed space with a door.
A bus, for example, is indoors. In addition to the aforementioned door, you can tell your indoor/outdoor status by the presence of a roof, several walls, and any number of people who don't know you and don't *want* to know you, much less hear you scream.
Children are not exempt from the indoor voice rule. While it is to be expected that children, being new to the world, will have difficulty remembering when they are indoors or outdoors, and also may have difficulty knowing how to speak quietly (vocal modulation here), it must be understood that any child so young is to be accompanied at all times by a responsible adult.
Responsible adults may briefly use their outdoor voice to tell the children in their charge to shut up already! This is an acceptable breach of normal indoor/outdoor rules. Other alternatives include distraction, duct tape, and egress into an outdoor area.
Should the responsible adult be unwilling to take care of the child(ren) in question, any other adult is hereby authorized to yell the words "SHUT UP!" or "Indoor voice, people!" instead. Especially on a bus. But not me, because my throat hurts already. I've come down with a bad case of hypochondria.
Sincerely,
Me.
(The person in question wasn't even *trying* with these two kids. She seemed to think that staring out the window was an acceptable alternative to stopping her kids from 1. yelling 2. climbing over the seats 3. smacking each other)
