the voice...

my stage voice, that is. I'm currently in a play acting the part of a grumpy old housekeeper who says all of her lines in a loud, angry voice. This morning I helped babysit a gaggle of toddlers as I do twice a month. During the mostly peaceable morning I had to ask one little boy to return the red ball he had just snatched from another little boy and had to insist that another little charmer set up the chairs that he had walked around the room tipping over. In both cases the boys did what I asked without a moment's hesitation and I realized, after the exchanges were over that I had been using the voice I use in the play. Evidently it carries some conviction.  I must remember this for net time.