Watch Me, I Can Follow Directions

The secret to being a good communicator is to be a good listener.  Are your listening ears on?  You may have asked your child if she forgot to turn her listening ears on today.  We know that everyone has selective hearing at times, but by modeling good listening skills you can encourage your child to be a good listener.  Good listening is essential in  following directions.  You can make following directions fun and engaging for your child.

When giving directions or asking your child to do something in a sequence make sure that the directions are simple and easy to follow.  Repeat the directions twice while squatting down near your child’s eye level.  Remember to speak slowly and be patient.  Your child does not have a sense of urgency; to her the world is moving at a slow pace.  Use gestures to indicate what you want your child to do.  For example, “Go to the drawer, get out a washcloth and bring it to me so we can wash your face.”  Try to see if your child can follow a similar three step direction.

Continue to show respect when you are playing with your child or going through the daily routines.  Tune into what she is saying. Genuinely give her your undivided attention.  Observe your child as she is playing with her peers.  See if you notice her and her friends giving directions to each other during play.  When my daughter was four I noticed how she interacted with her sister when they were playing “house”.  She said during a playdate, “Oh, no, the milk spilled.  Go get a toweling, wipe it up and pour me some more milk.”  My daughter quickly got the real roll of paper toweling, wiped away the pretend spill and poured her some more milk. Then she looked over at me proudly and exclaimed, “Look, I cleaned up the spill all by myself!”

Practice sequencing with your child.  Put a few objects out on the floor in front of you.  Instruct your child to do three things in a row.  It will help if the sequence is relatable such as putting something in a container, placing the lid on top and putting the container in a special spot.  Share control and take turns as you both make up new sequences or directions.  It’s also fun when you throw a few silly sequences into the mix also.  There is nothing sweeter to hear than your child’s laughter!