Quit yelling at the kids to come to dinner or start their homeschool work! Get an old fashioned school bell to gather everyone together and save your voice!
For many years I dreamed of a big ole dinner bell outside my back door that I would use to call everyone in from the field for meals. They would hear the call of my bell for miles around and come running for my delectable casseroles and pies and a tall drink of fresh water from the well.
But, guess what –
I don’t live on a farm. My kids are never more than 50 feet from my back door. And it’s not the 1800’s.
Bummer.
But then I realized I actually DID have a reason to need a bell.
While visiting a friend’s house – in the city – I was intrigued to discover she had a bell. Whenever she needed to gather her 5 kids in one place, she rang her little school bell and they all came running.
And my mind began to churn with all the bell-ringing possibilities!
Tired of calling the kids from downstairs to come to meals? Ring the bell.
Tired of trying to gather them all up for chores? Ring the bell.
Tired of yelling to the far reaches of the house to bring everyone together for school?
Ring the bell.
So, I searched high and low for a dinner/school/everyone-get-in-here bell and finally found exactly what I was looking for – an old fashioned school bell!
It was just sitting there in an antique mall in Branson, MO begging me to snatch it up and put it on my homeschool mom desk…that is, if I had one. Actually, it resides in the kitchen near the stove.
Don’t want to search antique malls in Branson? Here’s one from Amazon!
And before you start having visions of a militant Captain VonTrapp whistle drill with me assigning a ring to each child and then watching them march into the room, let me assure you it’s more like Pavlov’s dog. A quick 3-5 rings of the bell and they come a’runnin’!
In fact, even our dog has figured out the bell means food and he ought to join us in case the toddler drops something yummy! Apparently, classical conditioning works!
Here’s a real life example:
Quite often dinner time hits while my children are watching an afternoon movie or having personal computer/device time. Some of the kids are upstairs, some are downstairs, some are on the main level. In other words, they are “out in the fields” – to use my dinner bell from the 1800’s analogy!
For more on how we manage our television and computer time read:
How to Set Screen Time Limits When You Homeschool
All I need to do is ring the bell, and they come in from the “fields” straight to the kitchen where we pray and then I serve up some yummy victuals. It’s my city-fied dream come true!
Here’s another example:
Often the kids are scattered all throughout the house playing or getting ready for the day when it’s time for school. Again…all I have to do is ring the bell and they all come running.
I don’t have to search every nook and cranny and holler at the top of my lungs because every single child in this household has been trained (for over a decade now!) to come when the bell rings to find out what’s going on.
(Honestly, most often it’s food, so when it isn’t, they are sorely disappointed!)
Have I convinced you of your need for a school bell yet?
Good! Here are more ideas…
What you should look for in a School Bell:
- A bell that is compact.
- The ring needs to be loud enough everyone will hear it.
- You want a ring that doesn’t hurt your ears – since you will be closest to it when it rings.
- A bell that is sturdy. (Ours is an antique, but well made and has served us well for over 10 years!)
Other options:
- Megaphone/Bullhorn
- Chuckwagon Triangle
- Cast iron kitchen bell
- Wooden Clappers
- Cowbell
- and…Alexa
If you have a few Alexa Echo Dots strategically placed around the house, you can send out a general announcement on all of them that it’s time for school or dinner! (Definitely not 1800’s style!)
Looking for more Large Family ideas?
Check out my Large Family page!
This post was previously published in March 2010.
Debbie says
I love the bell idea! It sounds like I need to get a bell because it sure would eliminate the yelling for all to come. Where’d you get the large bell?
.-= Debbie´s last blog ..Is Your Confidence In The Lord Or Your Circumstances? =-.
Amy says
The only bell I have is the one shown which I got at an antique mall. Happy hunting!
Dawn says
“City-fied version of calling them in from the fields” lol! Good one!
We have a small house so everyone can always hear everyone else around these parts.
Or if they “can’t hear” me, I can reach them quickly and easily.
But if I had a larger home, I think I would need a bell, too. It has a nice Little House on the Prairie feel to it.
.-= Dawn´s last blog ..Bisquick Giveaway =-.
Sandpiper says
Great idea! I have always wanted one of those triangles hanging on my back deck, but we don’t have ‘fields’ either. Lately I have wanted to get an intercom installed, but usually one of my little ones is thrilled with the job of announcing to everyone that dinner is ready.
.-= Sandpiper´s last blog ..Bits & Pieces =-.
Angie @ Many Little Blessings says
I love this idea! I had been jealous (okay, not really jealous, but you know…) of my friends with six kids that just do a soft whistle and all of the kids come running. I may have to try this bell business (because I can’t whistle – LOL).
.-= Angie @ Many Little Blessings´s last blog ..How to Use Your iPod Touch as a PDA =-.
Amy says
I can’t whistle loud enough to make a difference, so a bell makes way better sense!
Laney says
right now with s working at night and sleeping during the day…i suppose he wouldn’t really like the bell idea that much. 🙂
i currently send k on the errand of fetching and it always makes me laugh that she specifies either you’re not in trouble or you’re in trouble upon announcing that the said child needs to see mom. lol!
Ashley says
I need me a bell!! 😀
.-= Ashley´s last blog ..When you pray… Part Two!! =-.
Saidah @ AProverbswife.com says
I have been contemplating this concept for some time. It just seems to make sense not to use tool that will save me from hollering at the top off my lungs.
.-= Saidah @ AProverbswife.com´s last blog ..Publix 1¢ Item 3/31 {4/1 in some areas} =-.
Fruitful Harvest says
Great post~
I usually yell or send one of the younger kids to get the older ones!
I have always wanted a bell….or intercome system like the Duggars!
Warmly,
Georgiann
.-= Fruitful Harvest´s last blog ..Celebrating Sedar Supper =-.
Nikki says
Amy this is a terrific tip. My mom used to use a bell when I was a child.
I tried using a whistle for a couple days. That was a mistake. The children wanted to play with it. It was too shrill.
I am going to keep an eye out for a bell for my brood. Love your tips. as usual. 🙂
.-= Nikki´s last blog ..Raise your hand if you’ve found a nicer way to get the dishes done. =-.
MamaK says
the foster home my hubby and i used to go to in mexico does that! used any time they want all the kids to come running. very efficient and saves on your voice!
.-= MamaK´s last blog ..Future Ice Skater =-.
Sherry says
I am loving this idea! Now to find a bell or maybe even an air siren? LOL! 😀
.-= Sherry´s last blog ..WFMW – It is elementary my dear Watkins.. (Giveaway) =-.
celee says
Personally, I’ve been begging my husband for an intercom system! Of course, that only works when they’re upstairs, not when they’re outside. Our backyard is pretty small, though, so I don’t even have to yell:) Glad you finally got your bell!
.-= celee´s last blog ..Forgiving others: Is it an option? =-.
Grace Wheeler says
Hey, this is a great idea! I’ve often thought I’d like to be able to control the tornado alarm in our town, because every Wednesday when they test it, my boys come to a halt and file into the room I’m in…one by one! Oh the power of the bell!!!
.-= Grace Wheeler´s last blog .."Happy Wife" vs. "Spotless House" =-.
hannah says
You can go online and find Tue sound of a tornado alarm and play that.my husband has found some different sounds and some you can save and play when needed, I think you would just do a search for tornado alarm or what you want to use, then you can control it 🙂
Mary Ooch says
When I was growing up (in a city!) my Mom had a dinner bell she would ring for dinner or a phone call. . .. We could hear it from the basement or the back yard. Initially it was embarassing, but we all knew that it was our mom that was ringing it!!!!!
Marie says
Some of my children have spent a few years in Montessori school, and they use a bell when the teacher needs attention or silence. It sounds like a great idea to use a bell in the house! We are moving somewhere with ‘fields’ very soon and I’m excited to finally have a use for my parents’ bell.
Julie Hergert says
We have a dinner triangle in the kitchen (bought at Cabella’s). In the past we used a bell on the wall (bought it at hobby lobby). I have also used a wireless door bell for my ones in the basement. A cow bell works well also 🙂
Michelle says
We moved into a 2 story home when I was 16 that was somewhat in the shape of a boat…squared off in the back (roadside) and it came to a point in the front (lakeside). On the upstairs porch, at the point was an actual ships wheel. When said wheel was turned a horn blew. The owners said that the kids could hear it anywhere, even on the lake since sound travels well across water. And, of course, they’d come a-runnin! 🙂
Aubrey says
My mom mastered a two-finger whistle to call us in from the 17 acres I grew up on. But my grandma has a wonderful antique bell collection, and I’d love to use one of those when my kids are old enough to range afar.
Candyce says
My husband and I have a little joke…We have a small house, and the kids are usually underfoot (they are 7yrs and under) But as a joke my husband calls them in to brush teeth by picking up our kitchen phone (like an intercom system(that we DO NOT HAVE)) and saying “tims kids, attention tims kids, It’s time to brush your teeth” They get excited when he picks up the phone and never know what daddy will say!
Sarah says
My best friend does this with a whistle! I think you all are genius! I can’t even count how often I am hoarse.