Waiting is not easy for any of us! It is even harder for young children because they do not yet have fully-developed executive functioning skills and they have shorter attention spans. But wait time can also be an opportunity to play, connect, and share or learn with your child. Stuck waiting in traffic? Try a language-boosting game of I Spy with my Little Eye. Sitting in the doctor's office waiting for your appointment to begin? Play the Hand-Slap game or even make up a secret handshake with your child. Waiting for your food to arrive in a restaurant? Put the salt, pepper, and silverware on the table, remove one item while your child hides their eyes, and promote memory by asking them "What's missing?"
Often, as busy parents, we might take a look at our phones during wait time, but then we miss the opportunity to play! If you do decide to look at your phone, consider some shared media engagement time with your child (as in - watch something you both enjoy, together!) Take a look at this read-aloud video of the book Waiting is Not Easy! by one of my most favorite children's authors, Mo Willems. And next time you have to wait - turn it into a game you and your children can enjoy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGGsB-jBTlo
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorHi, I'm Brie Krentz, and I'm the School Psychologist at HGECC. I care about the social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health of all of our children, and I believe in Conscious Discipline as a way to minimize behavior problems and to help children connect meaningfully with others. Archives
October 2021
Categories |