A note to the uninitiated: Aunty Aidan is Aidan Montessori School's cheeky advice columnist. Have you got a question for her next column? Please email the grande dame herself - she's always happy to help.

Dear Aunty Aidan,

My child is constantly bombarded by the racket of the ever-increasing levels of noise in our society. Any suggestions?

Turn it Down a Little

Dear Turn it Down,

You are right to be concerned about this important missing link in today's culture: silence.

Dr. Montessori noted how sensitive children can be to the notion of the absence of sound and that it brings peace, healing, joy, simplicity, and truth - revealing the richness that may be found within the context of a great quiet. Silence is that fertile place in which many things grow and flourish, including an awareness of everything outside oneself.

Model the practice by turning off your devices, shutting off the background music, closing your eyes, and consciously making note of the sound of your own breathing. Don't be afraid to stand still in the park and listen for the croaking frogs, the buzzing bees, the trickling brook, and even the traffic noise and the voices of other people. Be careful - words interrupt the experience.

Each time you turn it down a little, your child (and you) will hear what's beating in your hearts.

Aunty Aidan