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calliaz on the problem of communicating effectively with small children - locked post, QWP.
...the kid-friendly fire alarm I got on clearance at Target. It sounded like a good idea when I bought it. If there is a fire and the alarm goes off, it will play your recorded message. That way your child hears your voice with clear instructions of what to do.
The problem is, what in the world do I say? My child is three, he sometimes needs reminding to do things. He's also quite literal. If I don't explain all of the steps he'll sometimes stop doing whatever it is I want him to finish.
With that in mind, this was my thought process trying to write a script:
[Child. Child. Child.]Can you hear me? I need you to get out of your bed and to the back door. Not the back door to the yard--the back door to the car. You need to climb down the ladder yourself. Leave Cow in the bed. No, just leave Cow there. You need to go to the door to your room. If the door is hot, go to the window and wait. If the door isn't hot, open the door. Yes, you *can* open the door. Go to the back door. Aww, crap--you can't unlock the door. Umm. Go to mommy's bedroom. No, that won't work. Crap. Just go to the window in your room and wait. Don't start pulling all the books off of your bookshelf. Just lie down. No, don't get back up into the bed to get Cow. Just lie down. I know you have to go potty, try to hold it....
...the kid-friendly fire alarm I got on clearance at Target. It sounded like a good idea when I bought it. If there is a fire and the alarm goes off, it will play your recorded message. That way your child hears your voice with clear instructions of what to do.
The problem is, what in the world do I say? My child is three, he sometimes needs reminding to do things. He's also quite literal. If I don't explain all of the steps he'll sometimes stop doing whatever it is I want him to finish.
With that in mind, this was my thought process trying to write a script:
[Child. Child. Child.]Can you hear me? I need you to get out of your bed and to the back door. Not the back door to the yard--the back door to the car. You need to climb down the ladder yourself. Leave Cow in the bed. No, just leave Cow there. You need to go to the door to your room. If the door is hot, go to the window and wait. If the door isn't hot, open the door. Yes, you *can* open the door. Go to the back door. Aww, crap--you can't unlock the door. Umm. Go to mommy's bedroom. No, that won't work. Crap. Just go to the window in your room and wait. Don't start pulling all the books off of your bookshelf. Just lie down. No, don't get back up into the bed to get Cow. Just lie down. I know you have to go potty, try to hold it....