Make it BIG!!

Chris and I had a conversation last night about how he'd read an article about child psychology that in Chris' words stated that children stomp, make loud noises, and yell, because they have an inferiority complex.  (This came to light because Miles walks/skips heavily through our historic home and the noise carries throughout.)  I hadn't thought about it that way.  And once I did, I don't think I agree.  

In my opinion there are at least a few reasons that a child will "be loud."

1. They are having fun, and doing something in a "bigger" way increases the amount of fun they are having exponentially.  (Just ask any child to sing a song where they get to scream or stomp and it will easily become a favorite.)  

2. For attention.  Children need vast amounts of attention.  They will seek attention in any way you have taught them that they will get some from you.  Weather it's if that when they sing at the top of their lungs you join in and have a full out dance party in the kitchen.  Or if the child making loud noises sets off in a negative way, they will elicit a response from you for that behavior too.   

3. Children are efficient machines and use those few bites of food they pick off their plates to create vast amounts of movement, so they are going to work it off in a BIG way. 

4. Reasons that the children create that are too many to list here.  

A thought I had is... I wonder if it makes their growing "pains" feel better.  I know that as an adult if a joint or muscle hurts applying pressure to the area tends to feel better.  Compression works for me.  I remember the growing pains I had in my legs as a teenager and just how painful they were.  Being active seemed to help.  (I think this is true of cramps caused by menstruation as well...) I digress...  But I wonder... does the BIGGER movement ease these pains that the children have so frequently?  I know Miles goes through spurts that he is more "stompy" than other times.  I have not noted weather or not this aligns with his growth spurts.  

So make it big.  (You may need to take your favorite headache relief medication or send them outside, but it'll be worth it.)