- Kneel down and make sure you are talking to your child at eye level.
- Use a statement, not a question when asking your child to clean up, get his or her shoes etc . . .
- Even though what you have asked your child is NOT an option, you can give them a choice. Do you want to clean up the trains first or the blocks first?
- If your child runs away, go get her. Say, “We need to X, but Mommy will help you”.
- Set a timer. This works really well and we use timers all the time in speech therapy and in preschool settings. Tell your child, “Mommy is setting the timer for one minute – then we clean up”.
- Restate the direction and use a countdown. “5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1, now it’s time to wash our hands”.
- Make it into a game. If you want your child to clean up, tell him “Let’s clean up FAST!” Then proceed to do it fast – it will seem silly and your child will join in and help.
- Your child may need an incentive. Use a FIRST/THEN strategy. “FIRST, we have to brush our teeth, THEN we can go outside”.
