Noise, or the lack of it, plays an important role in the atmosphere of your home. It can set the tone for the mood of your day. If things seem chaotic, take a moment and listen. What’s the background noise? Is it chaotic sounding? What sounds make you feel calm and peaceful?

As a stay-at-home mom I have the great privilege of setting the tone in our home the majority of the time. I’ve found the following tips to be really helpful in creating a positive atmosphere for our family.

• Turn off the television. If there isn’t anyone watching it, it shouldn’t be on.

• Get rid of, or limit, noisy toys. You know the ones I’m talking about; beeps, sirens, songs, etc.

• Introduce new sounds. At my mother’s house my daughter falls asleep to the sound of rain or ocean waves. She loves it.

• Branch out of ‘kid music.’ Kid music is fun for dancing and playing wildly, but it isn’t the tone you want for the whole day. Try classical, jazz, worship, etc.

• Teach volume control. The earlier your children can control the volume of their voice, the easier it will be for you. Give them times to be loud and also enforce ‘quiet times.’

• Appreciate silence. It’s easy to get in the habit of always having background noise. Quiet is good sometimes too.

Does the noise in your home spin wildly out of control? What do you do to reign it in?

Photo by El Photo