Teach Your Kids to Stop Yelling "Help"

Summer is almost upon us, and the windows of my home are often left open to allow a cool breeze to pass through. The music of birds chirping and the distant sound of barking neighbourhood dogs can be heard as well as the squeals of delight and shrieks of laughter of neighbourhood children. I love these sounds. My own children will spend the vast majority of the summer outside squealing and shrieking, too. But there is one very important rule my kids follow while playing outside our home, which the rest of the block has not caught onto yet. If my kids forget this rule, or become carried away in their play, I am happy to remind them.

The rule is NO PRETEND SCREAMING… unless you actually need help.

We are all familiar with the story of the boy who cried wolf. When the town’s people didn’t believe him anymore after too many fake cries, nobody comes to help and the boy gets eaten by a wolf. The end.

I tell this story to my kids whenever necessary because it has an important moral.

My kids are what people like to call “spirited.” In otherwords, they are bursting with excited energy and imagination. They pretend all kinds of wild stuff that usually involves some level of screaming, roaring, and chasing. Their voices rise, they squeal and laugh. But they know better than to shout out the word “HELP!” Unless of course, they actually need help.

Similarly, we refrain from any kind of ‘pretend danger’ while visiting the local swimming pool. We play a game where I pretend to be a shark or an enormous octopus (I’m versatile like that) and they try to run or swim away from me before I ‘gobble them up!’ It is great fun, and they pretend to be scared while scurrying away. But you will NOT hear my kids scream for ‘HELP’ in the pool. Unless of course, they actually need help.

My kids are old enough now to have a good understanding of the roles of emergency responders such as police officers, firefighters and paramedics. Unfortunately, we don’t live right next to the police station, so I feel I have a responsibility to help them out a little. If someone in the neighbourhood is hurt or in danger, I figure it’s my job as a human to investigate, help, and/or call the appropriate authorities. My kids are beginning to understand how to respond in an emergency. Its an ongoing conversation and an important one to have with kids. They know to run to a grown-up for help if there is trouble. They know to call for help. But ONLY, of course, if they need it! They understand (after being told repeatedly) that taking advantage of other people’s desire to protect others is incredibly disrespectful, and that they are just like the boy who cried wolf if they pretend there is danger when none exists.

I may not have any training like the emergency responders, but I have a genuine desire to help protect the children in my neighbourhood. So when I hear a blood-curdling scream, my heart jumps into my throat and I find it incredibly unnerving when I discover that it was a false alarm. Because apparently there are children out there who think it is okay to play like this; whose parents have perhaps not had that conversation with them.

I’m here to tell you that it is NOT OKAY!! It shows a lack of respect for emergency responders and the procedures they follow to protect us and keep us safe. It shows a lack of respect for the care and concern of neighbours who have made it their duty to help keep your kids safe.

My rage about this issue comes from a loving place because every single time I hear your kid scream, I am in Mama Bear mode, and I feel the fear of anyone who thinks a child is in danger.

One of these days, I may stop responding the same way to those sounds. Probably not, but why burn that bridge? Can we all please just have a conversation with our kids about not screaming for help?

Unless of course, they actually need it.

Bonnie Guy is a SAHM to two wild and imaginative kids and shares stories of overcoming adversity and her family’s adventures at Unrestrained Laughter. She can also be found on Facebook, on twitter, and on Pinterest.