Using our ABC's
Today I'm using a variation on an idea in a book I'm reading, If I'm Diapering a Watermelon, Then Where'd I Leave the Baby: Help for the Highly Distractable Mom by Carol Barnier (fabulous book so far--I keep feeling as though it was written specifically for me and the way my brain works).
I've been giving the kids a sign language "letter" to hold in their hands to remind them what I asked them to do.
I asked them to go wash their faces, and showed them how to make a letter W in sign language to help them remember what they were supposed to do when they got upstairs.
We also talked about specific things we needed to work on today as we worked through an argument the kids were having and talked through the plan for today, and each got a "letter of the day" to remember throughout the day. For M&M and Ebee it was L for "turning on their Listening ears" and for AJ it was K for "Kindness is more important than being right".
The kids seemed to respond well to that--it was a fun and memorable way to turn what could have been a "lecture" into sort of a game, keep things positive, and promote an attitude of teamwork and participation. When that issue comes up today, I'll be able to use the sign language letter as a gentle reminder that will be relatively unobtrusive if we are out somewhere.
Now, if I could just get around to finishing the book. :)
BTW, my letter for the day is D for "don't get distracted." One of life's biggest challenges for me.
Carol also has a couple of other books that look interesting, including several on identifying and working with your children's learning styles, and some on helping highly distractible children learn. Her writing style is entertaining and readable, and her ideas are eminently practical, and simple enough to work even for someone like me who has difficulty following through with the great ideas in books and transferring them to real life.
I've been giving the kids a sign language "letter" to hold in their hands to remind them what I asked them to do.
I asked them to go wash their faces, and showed them how to make a letter W in sign language to help them remember what they were supposed to do when they got upstairs.
We also talked about specific things we needed to work on today as we worked through an argument the kids were having and talked through the plan for today, and each got a "letter of the day" to remember throughout the day. For M&M and Ebee it was L for "turning on their Listening ears" and for AJ it was K for "Kindness is more important than being right".
The kids seemed to respond well to that--it was a fun and memorable way to turn what could have been a "lecture" into sort of a game, keep things positive, and promote an attitude of teamwork and participation. When that issue comes up today, I'll be able to use the sign language letter as a gentle reminder that will be relatively unobtrusive if we are out somewhere.
Now, if I could just get around to finishing the book. :)
BTW, my letter for the day is D for "don't get distracted." One of life's biggest challenges for me.
Carol also has a couple of other books that look interesting, including several on identifying and working with your children's learning styles, and some on helping highly distractible children learn. Her writing style is entertaining and readable, and her ideas are eminently practical, and simple enough to work even for someone like me who has difficulty following through with the great ideas in books and transferring them to real life.
Labels: books, kid stuff, learning, muddling motherhood, parenting
