Five teachers using a combined 90 decades of experience share advice for parents of two - to 5-year-olds. Getting the Best from Your Child I worry my 3-year-old, Sophie, has a split personality. At school she cleans her toys up, puts on her sneakers, and is entirely self indulgent at potty time. In the home, she yells when I ask her to pick up anything, insists that I join her in the bathroom whenever she must go, and lately has started demanding that I spoon-feed her dinner. Certainly, her instructor knows something that I don't. But , what parent hasn't sometimes wondered: Why is my kid better for everybody else than for me personally? The easy answer: Your child tests her limits with you since she trusts you will love her no matter what. But that doesn't mean that you can't invest a few plans from the preschool instructors ' playbook to get the best from your child. We requested teachers from around the nation for their tips so listen up and take notes! .
Assign a chore.
Placing your preschooler in charge of a regular, simple task will build her confidence and sense of competency, '' says Buss. A child who's entrusted to water the crops or vacant the clothes dryer is likely to think she could also get dressed herself or pour her own cereal. Just be certain the chore you assign is manageable and it's real work, not busywork, since even preschoolers understand the difference. The goal is to make your kid feel like a competent, contributing member of the household.
Don't redo what they've done.
If your child makes her bed, then resist the impulse to smooth the blankets. If she dresses herself stripes and polka dots, compliment her eclectic fashion. Unless absolutely necessary, don't fix what your child accomplishes,'' says Kathy Buss, director of the Weekday Nursery School, at Morrisville, Pennsylvania. She will notice and it could dissuade her
Warn of transitions
If your son or daughter pitches a fit if you pronounce it's time to switch gears --if that means shutting off the TV, stopping play to come eat, or departing a friend's home -- it could be that you're not devoting enough advance notice. At college we let children know when transitions are coming so they have the time to complete whatever they're doing, observes Cohen-Dorfman. If you need to leave the house at 8:30 a.m., remind your kid at 8:15 that she's five minutes to play, then will need to cease to put her toys away. Set a timer so she knows when the time is up.
Enable them to solve simple problems.
If you see your kid trying to build a toy or get a book from a shelf which she can achieve if she stands on her stepstool, pause before hurrying around to help. Provided that they are secure, these moments when you overlook 't hurry into, when you give kids a moment to solve things for themselves, these are the character-building minutes, says Zebooker. It's natural to want to make everything perfect, but when we do, we cheat children of the opportunity to experience achievement.
Use sticker charts and rewards judiciously
If a child is working for the reward, he won't learn the actual motives for doing things -- which he must pick up his possessions because family members pitch in, says Buss. Finest bet: Reserve benefits for finite endeavors, such as potty training, but avoid offering them for everyday things, like dressing himself or brushing his teeth.
Encourage teamwork.
If your child is fighting over a toy with a different child, set a timer for 5 minutes, indicates Buss. Tell one child he can have the toy till he hears the buzzer, and then it is going to be another child's turn.
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