One less kid = a lot more quiet

We are short one child in the Letters household this week since one of the kids is away on a school trip.

It is amazing how much quieter it is here.

Image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

This never ceases to surprise me.

Going from one child to two does not, as you might mathematically conclude, double the noise.  It quaddrupales it.  And going from two to three is an even greater increase.

The same thing works in reverse.

And the odd thing is, even though any outside observers would conclude that some of my children are much louder and more talkative than others, it doesn't really matter which child is gone.

This morning there was no shouting and fighting over who got that bathroom first or who was taking too long or who took my bagel that was my bagel I put in the toaster or who was standing on whose shoes so that if you don't move we will miss the bus.

After school there were only two backpacks to trip over.

Dinner was quieter than normal too.

And the thing is, I like quiet.  I actually like it a lot.  But I don't like being one child short.  Someone is missing and we aren't complete.  I'll be glad when it is 5 of us again.

Although if there was a way we could be 5 of us and still have a peaceful morning I'd be all for it.