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Grandparenting

Small grandchildren doing a lot of high pitched sqeauling.

(46 Posts)
Nelliemoser Sun 09-Apr-17 18:04:44

Has any one else had their younger grandkids making this horrible high pitched shrieking noise. Mine are 4 and nearly 2.

I mentioned to my DD that the little boys next door were making this same high pitched noise and she was a bit huffy about me suggesting kids had not always made that noise.

My DCs and friends used to make a lot of normal kids noise but not this very high squealing noise.
It is very deliberate and I think this is something they are picking up from each other. (To annoy the grown ups.) ?

When our kids were small people would cheer etc, but even adults do this whooping and squealing to show appreciation now. I am wondering if small children have latched onto this just and because they have higher voices they can make these awful high pitched squealing noises.
Any thoughts?

tanith Sun 09-Apr-17 18:08:29

Haven't found it with my own grandchildren but there are two little girls who live at the back of my garden and they squeal when they are outside or on their trampoline, it annoys OH but to be honest along with all the giggling that goes on too I quite like hearing them at play as long as the squealing doesn't go on too long.

Cherrytree59 Sun 09-Apr-17 18:15:00

Better than whinging
They grow out of itsmile

LadyGracie Sun 09-Apr-17 20:13:10

They do grow out of it, last years squealing child is no more. We're so thankful!

Deedaa Sun 09-Apr-17 20:14:28

My youngest GS loves running round the house squealing like a train whistle (not a habit we encourage!) He's always had a piercing scream though. His two cousins are nothing like a bad.

notanan Sun 09-Apr-17 20:32:15

you think kids squealing and screeching is a new thing? really?

Liaise Sun 09-Apr-17 21:39:13

I agree with NELLIEMOSER about shrieking children. There are two who come to their grandparents next door. They scream all afternoon. We are pleased when they go home.

Nelliemoser Sun 09-Apr-17 23:28:51

Oops for the spelling mistake.
notanan The particular noise I am thinking of is way above usual noise.

Deedaas mention of the train whistle sound was what I was thinking of. This is not a crying child noise it is something they have picked up.
I will have to give my DGSs "stern looks."

Nelliemoser Sun 09-Apr-17 23:35:49

I am still embarrassed by my mistake.
I will write it out 10 times.

Squealing, Squealing, Squealing, Squealing, Squealing, Squealing, Squealing, Squealing, Squealing, Squealing.

JackyB Mon 10-Apr-17 07:59:08

There have always been a couple of kids in any given neighbourhood who do this high-pitched squeal. It really is ear-piercing, you can hear it for miles and it is very very annoying. They obviously don't realise they are doing it. How did previous generations deal with it, I wonder?

HthrEdmndsn Mon 10-Apr-17 10:34:10

Sounds normal to me

dogsdinner Mon 10-Apr-17 10:55:56

My 12 yr old autistic GC squeals still when distressed, which happens fairly often out of the house. They don't always grow out of it....

opalyo Mon 10-Apr-17 11:20:46

Just found this thread and would very much like to chime in. I have noticed for several years now, particularly in supermarkets, that some children make that awful, high pitched noise, instead of normal whining and whinging. I think it must be very effective, because if I was with them, I would give them whatever they wanted to shut them up. I have had lots of conversations about it as well, and most people I've spoken to recognize it as a new phenomenon. I am so not a fan of it either Nelliemoser.

Bubbe Mon 10-Apr-17 11:23:10

I agree squealing is painful to hear. I recently had the misfortune to sit next to a young adult in a crowded underground train who was screeching/squealing constantly with her friends. I think my face expressed my agony, as I was receiving sympathetic looks from others in the carriage. (And we're talking about the London underground where people rarely make eye contact).

For the GC I would probably try and have a quiet little chat with the 4 year old about indoor voices. Also explain that you love to hear them being happy but squealy sounds make your ears too sore. Could accompany this little chat with pictures of happy face and grimacing face.

Good luck. I do understand the problem. Constant high pitched squealing is torture.

MiniMama Mon 10-Apr-17 11:29:19

I agree with Nelliemoser- screeching is awful. I insisted with my children and granddaughter,that screeching/screaming is only allowed when they are very frightened or in trouble ( I would include any high pitched noise) and told the story of the Boy who Cried Wolf. It did work- but as an ex nursery school teacher I realise it may not with every child. The parents have a lot of input with this too...

Lewlew Mon 10-Apr-17 11:35:15

We live near two schools... and the screams/squeals/shrieks/howling whatever drift over us. Only a couple of times a day, but it seems to only be the junior school doing it. The nursery where DGD goes do not encourage it. How they do that I don't know, but I have been to the schoolyard to fetch her and kids are running and laughing and making noises, but not screeching.

We had a case here of a man who did not like that a school relocated its playground to 'his' side of their property and he was getting direct impact of this. He tried to make the school do something about it. How I haven't a clue. This was a primary school, too.

Craftycat Mon 10-Apr-17 11:37:31

I too hate that awful screeching! However it is only our GDs that do it - never the boys. Our neighbours have 3 girls & they seem to wail constantly- the other side now have 2 girls & I have just started hearing them too!. My own sons never did it & none 4 of our 4 GS do either.
I thought it was just girls! My GDs have been told in no uncertain terms that they do NOT make that horrible noise in Grandma's house or garden. I don't mind shouting & a bit of yelling - they have to play - but NOT shrieking.

CardiffJaguar Mon 10-Apr-17 11:48:51

This high pitched screaming is awful in public places. The parents are to blame for not putting a stop to it. When you encounter this, look at the parents who appear content to annoy those aroiund them. It smacks of a lack of control brought on by a could not care less attitude. There is absolutely no thought for anyone else.

GlamM Mon 10-Apr-17 12:30:49

My GS makes the most incredible high pitched noises when with his mummy and other GM. It may be the act that they are both effusive squealers at every thing .. hopefully he will realise it's not a good thing hmm

Starlady Mon 10-Apr-17 13:18:37

My gs does this sometimes. Dd says he got it from some tv show or other.

Caro1954 Mon 10-Apr-17 14:14:50

I'm with minimama, it works with my grandchildren.

marionk Mon 10-Apr-17 14:29:01

I don't think it's new, I think we learnt to block it out when we were younger, but now when out hearing is altering (getting worse) it just seems to hit a pitch that is right up there on the annoyance scale. As my mother got deafer she used to react more to the squealing too.

Shinyredcar Mon 10-Apr-17 14:51:15

It isn't anything new. When DD was small, she had a friend who was a screamer. We had three big dogs, very gentle but also very loyal. I shut them away when the friend came to play because I was concerned that the dogs would run in to sort out what they perceived as a problem, someone being attacked that they needed to protect. The Friend asked where the dogs were and I explained where they were and why. She never screamed again at our house because she enjoyed the dogs being allowed out to play. The children can stop doing it, as other posters have said.

Milton1951 Mon 10-Apr-17 15:06:05

It's not new but been building up over the years. When mine were little, I would bring them indoors if they screamed. They soon learned not to. It's unnecessary and annoying to others. Nobody minds the normal sounds of children enjoying themselves but they need to learn to consider others. Many parents ignore it but to ignore is to condone. How will they know it's not socially acceptable to screech and squeal when playing if adults don't guide them?
My grandchildren don't do it (much) but can be influenced at times by others that do. We owe it to children to teach them to consider others.

W11girl Mon 10-Apr-17 16:22:59

Its the parents who are fault. I was sitting in a restaurant yesterday having what I thought was a quiet sunday lunch, then the running and the screeching from children started from 2 families at 2 different tables. We were in the middle of it. Nobody batted an eyelid. I was really very unhappy about it and when the waitress asked the usual "is everything alright" referring to the meal, i quickly retorted that the food was fine, but the environment was not good. She was most unsympathetic. When I finished my meal, we paid and made it clear we wouldn't be back if they could not provide a peaceful atmosphere. We didn't leave a tip.