Secrets to Getting Your Child to Behave

Ever wonder how preschool teachers can handle so many preschoolers when you have difficulty handling just one sometimes? This is because preschool teachers in particular have a whole arsenal of tricks up their sleeves to keep their classroom running efficiently and enjoyably. Below are some of the best tried and true secrets that preschool teachers use as

 

Secret #1: It’s how you say it.

Wording and how you talk to your child can make a huge difference in getting their attention. One trick teachers use is to switch to singing. It doesn’t matter if you can sing flawlessly or are tone-deaf, this switch gets kids attention. Teachers also talk with their hands to give kids something else to draw in their attention other than the teacher’s voice. Once you have their attention, keep the instructions very short and clear and elaborate later if needed.

Secret #2: Stick to what you say.

The reason your kids don’t always listen to you? You don’t always follow through with what you say. Without following through on what you say, it gives the child the impression that they don’t have to do what you say because you could easily change your mind or give in to nonstop demands from your child. Teachers on the other hand, when they instruct a student to do something, the child knows the teacher will not change their mind. Start by giving some gentle reminders of what you would like your child to do and then definitively state what you would like and stick to it. It may take some time, but eventually your child will learn that you mean business.

Secret #3: Allow your child to dress themselves.

It goes without saying, that letting your preschooler dress themselves could end up with pants on their head and a shoe on their hand but take their enthusiasm to dress themselves and turn it into a teaching moment. Try laying out the clothing in the shape of a person the night before that way your child can more easily associate which piece of clothing goes front to back as well as left and right.

When buying clothing for your little one, take into account what motor skills your child has. Chances are those cute jeans you like are not at all practical as they have a zipper and a button that would only serve to frustrate your child. Instead, have your child learn how to handle zippers and buttons on someone else. Your child could zipper up or button your coat or practice putting clothing more their size on a favorite stuffed animal.

Secret #4: Stick with a routine for naptime.

So your child can easily nap at school with all of their classmates but has a hard time taking a nap when they are at home. At school, it is much easier because your child sees all of his or her classmates taking a nap and follows along with the crowd, something that just doesn’t exist at home. Instead, create a routine and stick with it. Try staring with a short activity about 30 minutes before their scheduled naptime to give them time to relax. Then, use the same time and bed with the same book or music with the same expectation: sleep or silence.

Secret 5: Playtime and learning can be the same thing.

It can be very easy to sneak in learning the ABC’s and 123’s when a child just thinks they are playing. Learning doesn’t need to be rote memorization at this stage and instead should be interactive and seen as fun. One example is putting together a customized alphabet book that the child helps create. The child can look for pictures of objects that begin with a particular letter, cut out the pictures and put it on a page in their book. The same can be done with numbers by looking for single or groups of objects. Your child learns, has fun in the process, and in the end has a lot of pride in the book they created!

Feel free to contact us at Kids R Kids Avalon Park to find out more about our incredible preschool & pre K programs and to get more information on our outstanding staff & teachers.