Tuesday, January 19, 2010

We Talk Too Much

There are people who never seem to talk. They're shy, introverted, quiet, and you have to be REAL close to them (emotionally) in order to have a conversation. They may seem snobbish, but they're really just quiet. They just don't talk.

That's not me. That's not Natalie. We talk too much. We make jokes and comments, we have something to say about EVERYTHING, and we annoy those around us.

All through school, as far back as I can remember, I was told that I talk too much. My grades were good, but "she talks too much, and is distracting in class." Every quarter of every semester of every year. I talked too much. In high school, I had a teacher say, in front of the class, "Your voice is SO annoying." That was harsh.

Now, my little mini-me, Natalie, is facing the same thing. She talks in class enough that her teacher is now assuming it's her when it's not. If someone talks in the same corner of the room that she's in, she gets called out. Doesn't matter if it's her or not. I can't blame the guy. Heck, if he was a betting man, those would be good odds.

I need to tell her to shut her mouth a bit, but the kid's on the A Honor Roll. Consistently. How much should I "punish" her? So she has to walk a lap now and then. So what? Her grades aren't suffering. She's had her punishment. Why should I jump in?

I know that some local teachers read this. I'd LOVE their input. Should I spank her and send her to bed, because she got called out for talking?

The final word that I gave Natalie is this: I faced the same thing, and I now get paid to talk. I found an employer who agreed to pay me a salary to talk to people on the phone all day. Wait! It gets even better! I have new duties at work, and my business card says "Social Networking Coordinator!"

I wish I could upload my business card here, but it's not on this computer. I'm just saying that we're NOT bad people.

We just talk too much.

5 comments:

Astaryth said...

OMG! I've heard this my whole life! And, because I have a little loss of hearing in both ears, I tend to talk a little louder because I can't hear myself (and sometimes am having trouble hearing the other person), so in addition to 'talks to much', I get 'talks to loud' and 'voice carries into the next county'. Le Sigh! Tell Nat I feel her pain. ;)

Donna. W said...

Oh yeah. I remember ALL my naps getting interrupted by somebody saying, "MOM?" Oops, did I say that? I don't think moms are supposed to take naps.

Rachel said...

OK, Mom. I'd say that I'm sorry, but I *still* do that to this day! When I walk in your house, I yell "Mom!" Maybe I should knock instead.

Anonymous said...

I hope you just motivated me to shut up since most of what I say is not positive or useful in any way.

Thanks for the nudge. ~Mary

Lindie said...

When my daughter was in school she was always in trouble for talking. Her teacher called me in and stated that My daughter must not get enough attention at home or we had "problems" at home and that was why she talked too much! I told the teacher to give her more work, that she was talking because the class was boring. (another straight A student) That solved the problem, for that year, anyway!