When Silence Isn't Golden

The lazy days of summer vacation have started. Although my youngest son goes to summer school he has one week off between the end of regular school and the beginning of summer school. Summer school only lasts for four weeks, so he gets a total of six weeks off during the summer. As I'm writing this, I am sitting on my bed with my laptop and my youngest son is sitting next to me propped up on some pillows. He really wants the computer (or "com-peh-peh" as he says) in order to play the ABC game at Starfall.com, with my assistance of course. I ask him questions about what he wants to do today but there usually is no answer. Silence...or if I'm lucky he will try to say and sign "candy" or "cake". Right now, he's listening to the tap-tap-tap of the keyboard patiently waiting for his turn at the com-peh-peh.

Many parents of young children or teenagers long for that golden silence. I know I do especially when my oldest son is awake. My oldest son is loud and always in motion. My youngest son is not. It's not that he isn't active or vocal; it's just that he spends a majority of time listening to the world around him trying to interpret the sounds. Some may find this hard to believe, but I am quiet by nature. I love my solitude. There are days when I don't care if I ever hear the sound of another human voice. My oldest son and I are very different in this area and I know we grate on each other's nerves. My youngest son is fairly quiet but not by choice; and that's what bugs me. Just once, I would love to hear him say a complete sentence on his own instead of one-word approximations. I would love to hear him chat with his brother or talk to the cat or make zoom-zoom noises with his toy cars.

Right now, he's listening and waiting. He spends alot of time doing both. If he could see and talk then he would really know what I'm doing and he would know that I'm almost done. Occasionally, he says "a-geh", which is how he tries to say "again". I know he wants the computer. I just wish he could say, "Are you done yet? Can I play Starfall, Mom?" Even though he can't say it, I know it's time to play Starfall.


For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. Psalm 62:5 (ESV)