One of my most memorable parenting moments is when my family waited at the airport to head off to a vacation at Disney World. At that time, we had six children, and I was seven months pregnant. (And going to Disney! Phew!) We were ready to pre-board and our kids were all waiting in line patiently (mostly) to get on the plane.
Before we headed down the concourse to board, a few passengers waiting in line approached my husband and I to compliment our well-behaved children. They were excited to be going to Disney World, but what grabbed a lot of attention was that they listened to our directions—the first time!
Anyone who’s been in the trenches of parenthood knows how frustrating it can be to ask your child to do something only to be ignored. What I didn’t realize at the beginning of my parenting journey was that when my kids didn’t respond to my requests, it wasn’t because they were blowing me off, it was because of how I asked as well as I truly had no expectations for follow-up.
Eight kids later, I don’t profess to have all the answers to raising kids, but I am always happy to share my successes. I once struggled with kids who didn’t always pay attention to what I asked, but once I figured out the winning formula, my cherubs rarely tuned me out.
Want your kids to listen up and follow your lead? Mighty Mommy shares four fast tips that will make following directions a cinch.
Four Strategies to Help Your Child Follow Directions
- Attention Please
- Tone of Voice
- Clarify
- Praise
Here is each tip in more detail.
1. Attention Please
Kids have a wonderful gift of imagination and playfulness. In addition, they know unconditional love, yet can turn on a dime when their uncontrollable need to be stubborn takes over, as well as their unknowing intention to be distracted.
When you want to connect with your child and deliver a request, the first step is to get his attention. You can’t fault him for not arriving to the breakfast table on your timetable when it’s far more exciting for him to stop and play with his trucks or plop down in front of his favorite morning cartoon. The key to success is to gain his attention by being as direct as possible.
By this I mean you can’t cry out your request from two rooms away, or plead and barter in hopes he might listen on the third or fourth try. Instead, put yourself in your child’s shoes. If you’re trying to get your four-year-old to get ready for pre-school, would you stop playing with your favorite toys just to put your shoes on? Probably not. Kids have one job—...
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