How Would You Handle It? No Talking in THE House
Here I am again, asking a question that is on my mind. I wonder, how would you handle it? Leave your comments, I’d love to hear from you.
How would you handle people talking at inappropriate times?
My example is people talking in church. I confess there are times I have to ask an offering question or I comment on the announcements. However, you will not find me talking through prayer or ripping apart what’s going on the platform in a commentary Howard Cosell would have been proud of.
I used to sit downstairs until the chit chat between adults older than I am during worship drove me to a new level of impatience. I decided the smartest thing to do was to move elsewhere. I sit in the balcony telling others as a joke that I “don’t play well with others.” Frankly, I don’t know what to do when it comes to asking someone much older than me to be respectful. So I say nothing.
So far.
Teens, well…that can be a different story. If I know them and their parents well I’ll make a kind of joke about it. If that doesn’t work the joke turns to a threat and I do have that parent on a text ready to send regarding the behavior. I’ve had success with that. They also know they aren’t supposed to be in the balcony without their own parent until they are 18. I’ve seen ushers reinforce that.
Older teens I don’t know as well. Some adults have said something and it was taken well. But the groups change.
So…how would you handle it? You can take this question to the talking during movies or cell phones at a play, it gets annoying, doesn’t it? So…
How would you handle it?
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Last year I was in the children’s section of the library doing homework with him (he’s 11). There’s a bit of noise there. . .but at the next table a woman (30’s) was particularly loud in talking to her son and being on the phone. My son was getting pretty agitated by the volume and I was too (i have greater tolerance!) And she was not very nice to her kid either which annoyed me. Finally I turned around and put my finger to my lips to mime “shhhh” The woman looked at me evilly and then turned to her… Read more »
Susan, That’s terrible. I’ve seen librarians get the dirty look when they told people to please take their cell phone conversation outside. One librarian even pointed to the sign and said, “As soon as you enter that sign is there for you to see.” Still, people feel so entitled. Sad.
I have a friend who is easily distracted, so she always sits on the front row. I currently sit in the row behind the teen row. I will poke them if it becomes too much.
I sit in the front…..much less distraction. Still hear some talking now and then…adults. I pray for God to convict them. Been discipling a new believer. She wants to sit with hubby and me up front, but she plays with her cell phone throughout service. I now ask her to turn it off before entering the sanctuary. We turn our phones off together and enter to worship. One small step.