When should kids be able to be quiet when parents are talking?

[Anonymous]

At what age should your kid be able to sit quietly, wait patiently, or otherwise entertain themselves while their parent is talking to another adult? When should they know not to interrupt an adult conversation? When should it only take one reminder along the lines of, “Mommy is talking to Mrs. Smith right now, please go play with the kids,” to prevent the kid from continuing to talk, interrupt, etc.?

[Anonymous]

Start addressing at 2, usually get it by 3-4.

[Anonymous]

Well two things:

1) Kids will often have this ability, then lose it, and then take time to get it back. Some kids take a while to find their voice, and before that happens will just listen quietly while their parents talk. Then they find their voice and will struggle with this for a while because now that they have things to say, they want to say them RIGHT NOW.

2) It can happen in fits and starts. My 7 yr old is pretty good at this but will still sometimes struggle. My 5 yr old is largely terrible at it but at least a little better than she was at 4. As they get older, their ability to follow adult conversation increases, and that can make them more patient because the conversation isn’t just grown up blah-blah to them (like the teacher’s voice in Charlie Brown). But the more they understand the more they might interject, too. Two steps forward, one step back.

[Anonymous]

At about 3. My DD and I actually came up with a gesture to indicate that 1. She wanted to interrupt and 2. I saw that she wanted to say something and I'd work her into the convo when possible. It was simply putting the palm of her hand on my knee, and vice versa. She had a habit of interrupting AND trying to change the conversation to something completely different.

I think she was 4, when she was listening to us talk and we said something about a clue and she SO proudly busted out with "Speaking of clues, today on Blue's Clues ...." We were so proud of her segue.

[Anonymous]

By 3.

[Anonymous]

By 2 damn

[Anonymous]

People on here are bonkers. Sure at 2 you start working on it.

My DS is ten and his friends and him are still prone to walking up to an adult and just starting to talk. Not every time. And they certainly know the rule, and realize what they’ve done when you tell them to not interrupt. But interrupting is not uncommon at age 10.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At what age should your kid be able to sit quietly, wait patiently, or otherwise entertain themselves while their parent is talking to another adult? When should they know not to interrupt an adult conversation? When should it only take one reminder along the lines of, “Mommy is talking to Mrs. Smith right now, please go play with the kids,” to prevent the kid from continuing to talk, interrupt, etc.?

I want to take a moment and ask you to entertain another situation. One where you and a neighbor are talking and another person comes up. Do you notice them/acknowledge them? Do you say something like Oh Jane! I know we need to talk about the Halloween party- let me finish with Carol and Ill be over to your house in 10 minutes.

There are certain situations where your kid is going to need to ask you something and their brains are off to the next thing if it doesnt get addressed. So 1) you need to let them know how to interrupt you and another adult if you are talking and they do need something 2) you need to have a signal or plan for letting them know you will address them once you finish your thought or the other adult finishes their thought 3) if interruptions continue, you need to excuse yourself and take them aside and re-explain the above. As far as sitting quietly, make sure they have something to do. Not every kid will sit quietly for a 20 min adult conversation. Some kids may sit as long as they are being held. Some kids may just want to play at your feet versus other kids.

Bluey has a great episode about this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At what age should your kid be able to sit quietly, wait patiently, or otherwise entertain themselves while their parent is talking to another adult? When should they know not to interrupt an adult conversation? When should it only take one reminder along the lines of, “Mommy is talking to Mrs. Smith right now, please go play with the kids,” to prevent the kid from continuing to talk, interrupt, etc.?

I want to take a moment and ask you to entertain another situation. One where you and a neighbor are talking and another person comes up. Do you notice them/acknowledge them? Do you say something like Oh Jane! I know we need to talk about the Halloween party- let me finish with Carol and Ill be over to your house in 10 minutes.

There are certain situations where your kid is going to need to ask you something and their brains are off to the next thing if it doesnt get addressed. So 1) you need to let them know how to interrupt you and another adult if you are talking and they do need something 2) you need to have a signal or plan for letting them know you will address them once you finish your thought or the other adult finishes their thought 3) if interruptions continue, you need to excuse yourself and take them aside and re-explain the above. As far as sitting quietly, make sure they have something to do. Not every kid will sit quietly for a 20 min adult conversation. Some kids may sit as long as they are being held. Some kids may just want to play at your feet versus other kids.

Bluey has a great episode about this.

I forgot to add that a child not interrupting is a sign of respect. You get respect when you model it but you also need to provide them with language that is appropriate. Puppets and stuffies are great for this. You can even make a game out of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People on here are bonkers. Sure at 2 you start working on it.

My DS is ten and his friends and him are still prone to walking up to an adult and just starting to talk. Not every time. And they certainly know the rule, and realize what they’ve done when you tell them to not interrupt. But interrupting is not uncommon at age 10.

Your son and his friends are just badly behaved. That's not normal, and wouldn't be tolerated in our house. Not at age ten. "Go to your room and don't come out until you can avoid interrupting other people who are talking."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People on here are bonkers. Sure at 2 you start working on it.

My DS is ten and his friends and him are still prone to walking up to an adult and just starting to talk. Not every time. And they certainly know the rule, and realize what they’ve done when you tell them to not interrupt. But interrupting is not uncommon at age 10.

You must have some autistic children

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At what age should your kid be able to sit quietly, wait patiently, or otherwise entertain themselves while their parent is talking to another adult? When should they know not to interrupt an adult conversation? When should it only take one reminder along the lines of, “Mommy is talking to Mrs. Smith right now, please go play with the kids,” to prevent the kid from continuing to talk, interrupt, etc.?

I want to take a moment and ask you to entertain another situation. One where you and a neighbor are talking and another person comes up. Do you notice them/acknowledge them? Do you say something like Oh Jane! I know we need to talk about the Halloween party- let me finish with Carol and Ill be over to your house in 10 minutes.

There are certain situations where your kid is going to need to ask you something and their brains are off to the next thing if it doesnt get addressed. So 1) you need to let them know how to interrupt you and another adult if you are talking and they do need something 2) you need to have a signal or plan for letting them know you will address them once you finish your thought or the other adult finishes their thought 3) if interruptions continue, you need to excuse yourself and take them aside and re-explain the above. As far as sitting quietly, make sure they have something to do. Not every kid will sit quietly for a 20 min adult conversation. Some kids may sit as long as they are being held. Some kids may just want to play at your feet versus other kids.

Bluey has a great episode about this.

I forgot to add that a child not interrupting is a sign of respect. You get respect when you model it but you also need to provide them with language that is appropriate. Puppets and stuffies are great for this. You can even make a game out of it.

You sound crazy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People on here are bonkers. Sure at 2 you start working on it.

My DS is ten and his friends and him are still prone to walking up to an adult and just starting to talk. Not every time. And they certainly know the rule, and realize what they’ve done when you tell them to not interrupt. But interrupting is not uncommon at age 10.

Your son and his friends are just badly behaved. That's not normal, and wouldn't be tolerated in our house. Not at age ten. "Go to your room and don't come out until you can avoid interrupting other people who are talking."

What on earth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People on here are bonkers. Sure at 2 you start working on it.

My DS is ten and his friends and him are still prone to walking up to an adult and just starting to talk. Not every time. And they certainly know the rule, and realize what they’ve done when you tell them to not interrupt. But interrupting is not uncommon at age 10.

Your son and his friends are just badly behaved. That's not normal, and wouldn't be tolerated in our house. Not at age ten. "Go to your room and don't come out until you can avoid interrupting other people who are talking."

+1. We know kids that age who still do this. They’re from ill-raised, “free range” (lazy and permissive) parenting households.

[Anonymous]

As someone who works in an elementary school--very few parents teach their kids this skill. There's constant interruptions and everything is deemed an emergent need. And yes it's gotten worse since I started teaching in the early 2000s. Kids can absolutely learn this before 10!