Children should be seen and not heard is an proverb you may be familiar with. A quick search on the internet and you will get slightly different meanings. One explanation speaks to how this proverb was aimed at young women and keeping quiet in the presence of others and another makes reference to a more biblical meaning in which children should not speak in the presence of adults, which I am partial to. I say this because as I was riding along with my girlfriend the other day, she was giving me a ride, and her child kept interjecting her thoughts into the conversation. At first I did not mind, and I even entertained the comments made, but after a short bit it became old. The mere mention of the word park, for example, launched a barrage of comments on the child’s last visit to the park and all the wonderful things done as well as additional comments and details from the parent. Meanwhile the adult is patiently waiting to continue the conversation. I can say I actually forgot what I was talking about or wanted to say at one point.
There is a time and a place for children, hence the proverb. If you are having an adult conversation, a child should not be participant of the conversation unless necessary. Children should wait to speak until it is appropriate. Of course children do not know this and it is up to the parents to guide their children on this matter, which is why I am writing this blog post. So for all the parents out there, be mindful when having adult conversations about your child’s participation. And if you notice that your adult friends have gone MIA, it could be because this boundary missing.
Everything and Nothing ...you decide. 
As an adult who was raised with this maxim, I have to say that adults should teach children boundaries; this doesn’t mean they shouldn’t speak at all; otherwise, in my experience this causes confusion on when to speak and how to speak at appropriate times. Imo, we have to remember not to have binary thinking about such proverbs.
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