Do kids scream more than ever? Internet weighs in on viral debate

A Reddit post has sparked debate about whether parents should intervene when their children scream in public.

User u/_FreddieLovesDelilah took to the r/nostupidquestions subreddit with the post: “Why don’t people stop their kids from screaming (anymore?)?”

The Reddit user shared their experience growing up in a household where screaming was only allowed in emergencies, wondering if their upbringing was unusual compared to others.

“I was told it was only something to do in an emergency like when being kidnapped. Now every weekend or school holiday that has nice weather, many of the neighbors’ kids spend literally all day outside shouting and screaming,” they wrote.

At the time of writing, the post has received 20,000 upvotes and over 2,500 comments. Most users agreed that children should only scream if they’re in trouble.

“The rules are you don’t scream unless you are broken, someone died, or someone is stealing you. If I hear a scream I AM going to come running to save you,” a millennial parent commented.

Many others shared their experiences at sports games or concerts where young children screamed without their parent’s input.

“How annoying do you have to be to have everyone at a college game hate you while our team is winning? Some people have zero social awareness,” a Redditor wrote.

Another parent shared that their kid did something similar last week, and they had to teach her and her friend how to cheer. They believe it’s a socialization issue.

“We don’t and haven’t attended many large group events in her life in her cognizant memory because of COVID. I had to tell her to stop screaming like she’s a murder victim and scream more like it’s fun. I was surprised when more than one kid did it, so I really thought about it a lot after,” they commented.

It appears that different generations have their own ways of dealing with hearing children scream. Two users shared similar stories of their moms talking over their nephews instead of asking if there was a reason for the screaming.

“I don’t visit anymore when he’s there because I got tired of having to raise my voice like I’m having a conversation at a bar. Apparently ‘indoor voices’ and leaving the adults alone when they’re talking are a thing of the past,” one wrote.

Baby and parenting expert Rachel Fitz-Desorgher believes modern parenting is more challenging than ever due to the overwhelming amount of online information.

“When we are assaulted by too many opinions, we feel overwhelmed with choice and can fear that making the wrong choice might lead to disaster,” Fitz-Desorgher told Newsweek.

Fitz-Desorgher, who is also an expert speaker at The Baby Show, outlined three general parenting styles that influence how children behave in public:

• Authoritarian: where children have little to say and strict rules are enforced,
• Permissive: where children hold all the power
• Authoritative: a balanced approach where parents set clear, age-appropriate boundaries while respecting their children’s needs.

Many parents, she said, pivot between authoritarian and permissive styles, leading to inconsistent discipline and frustration.

One of the biggest divides in the discussion was whether parents should intervene when their children are screaming in public.

Fitz-Desorgher explained that how parents respond to children’s emotions can shape their ability to handle stress and disappointment.

“We all know that even a teeny paper cut can really hurt and a small graze stings like crazy when we get in the bath! Trying to either minimize or magnify the pain our child might be feeling is unhelpful,” she said.

Instead, parents can acknowledge their child’s emotions and guide them toward solutions.

Parenting has never been easy, but Fitz-Desorgher said that today’s parents face more public scrutiny than previous generations.

“Once parents are supported to relax into their parenting role and empowered with compassionate and age-appropriate strategies that protect the child’s self-esteem, whilst also allowing the parent to stay in control, today’s moms and dads prove themselves to be wonderful parents and role models for the next generation,” she said.

Newsweek reached out to u/_FreddieLovesDelilah for comment via Reddit.