Following the Rules

For once I have some wisdom to share!! Well it wasn't my idea but I thought I would pass it along anyhow.

You know how when you are in the parking lot and you have 3-4 usual commands:

1. Get over Here!
2. Hold my Hand!
3. No Running!
4. Watch where you are Going!

Anyhow, it feels like I was always barking orders to Madalyn when we were in the parking lot. If I grabbed her hand it seemed to make her pull away harder until I picked her up and carried her. But I found a solution.

I sat her down and told her again what the rules were for when we were in the parking lot..."Do you understand Madalyn?" I asked, "Yes, daddy." She said.

Okay, from here on out when I say "parking lot" you get to my side and hold my hand, you follow the rules. I really didn't think I would get the response I did but it works great. She loves it when I YELL "parking lot" she hurries to my side and holds my hand.

There have even been a couple times where the conversation goes like this... "Daddy" "yes dear" I reply, "you forgot to say parking lot" "oh, I am sorry. PARKING LOT!" And she is ready to go. It has worked for several weeks now and we don't have that constant struggle that we used too. I don't know exactly why it works but it does.

Give it a try and let me know what happens.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Great idea. Kids love it when you turn things into a game. At our house, we were having struggles with holding hands in a parking lot, so now we say "hold my fin, HOLD my fin" like how Nemo's dad tells Nemo to hold his fin. She starts giggling and reaches out to hold my "fin" it's too cute.
September 21, 2008 at 10:33 PM
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