Repeat Repeat Repeat
I repeat the things I say to my kids three times. Why, you may ask? Because they don't respond till the third time. Let me give you examples from this morning.
With Little Bug it was "Please get your socks and shoes on." - one sock on, then wandering. "Socks and shoes on", I remind him. He puts one shoe on and the other sock. The third time, "SOCKS, SHOES". Complete compliance. Socks and shoes are on. With Red it was "Would you go brush your teeth?" - aimless wandering. "Brush your teeth please" - goes into bathroom, admires himself in the mirror for awhile. "BRUSH TEETH" and the foaming of the mouth commences. With Baby Girl it was during our morning jog/bike ride. She tends to drift while she is riding and has run over my toes several times. "Scoot over by the grass please" - moves closer to my feet. "Move over by the grass" - inches just a bit closer to my tender tootsies. "OVER" - she swerves violently and the training wheel nicks my shoe.
They always follow the last command. I'm not sure if it's because it's finally sunk in or if it's because I've simplified it to one or two words. None of the nonsense words like "Please" or "Would you..." just straight commands. Maybe I should just give short commands from the very beginning? Or maybe it's just a matter of third time's the charm... the world may never know!
4 comments:
Funny, that is what I do with my husband. It doesn't sink in untill the third time... and he isn't one of those guys that ignores me either.....
My kids sometimes need 10 or 11 times... grrr.
lol - my kids can be the same way... but today it was in 3's. Maybe it's a sign... lol
I think my daughter has selective hearing. She acts like she doesn't hear me until she can hear the anger in my voice.
Yeah, my daughter is the same way. She does get it when I have a firm voice though...sometimes. Maybe you should skip the first two nice ones and just jump right into the harsh ones!
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