When I studied in Costa Rica, the locals distinguished between "Tico Time" (a loose interpretation of time) and "Gringo Time" (when you were expected to arrive at the exact time specified).
Well, toddlers (and some older children), run on their own clock and I call it Toddler Time.
Toddlers have a very vague understanding of time. It is usually measured by what occurs before and after meals and sleep times.
This is why it can be challenging to get toddlers and preschoolers out of the house on time. Being late for something really doesn't mean much to them. But, of course it means something to a parent!
So, what can you do to help your child follow adult time?
Give yourself ample time. Of course there are days when unforeseen things happen on the way out the door, but in order to avoid being too late, start the process of getting out of the house much earlier than seems reasonable. You never know what roadblocks will slow down the process.
Give your toddler ample time. Things take longer when you are first learning to get yourself dressed. Give your child gentle reminders of what he needs to do to get ready. "Here are your socks. Go sit down and put them on. Great job putting on your socks. Now put your shoes on. Thank you." and on and on until you are both ready! Try and stay in the room with him to keep him focused. Parents are often running around the house getting the last minute things ready, but the more distracted a parent is the more distracted the child will be.
Be patient. After you give a command, give your child a little bit of time to start the task before giving him another reminder. Remember - he is working on Toddler Time and doesn't have the same sense of urgency you do.
If you are lucky enough to get out of the house earlier, reward your child and yourself with an extra ride around the block, listening to your favorite song or arrive at your destination early and enjoy some extra time playing or telling stories in the car.
Teach your child time. Introduce numbers on a digital clock. "When this number changes to 8 we need to put our jackets on and get in the car. Not only does this help your child learn numbers and time, but it includes your child in the shared task of getting out of the house.
Be consistent. The more consistent the routine is the less reminders your child will need. One fun way to help improve the morning routine and make it more consistent is to use routine charts. You can pretty easily create one yourself at home or purchase a pre-made one like:
http://www.amazon.com/Do-N-Slide-HATH-TD-for-Toddlers/dp/B004CPPCCA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1363288874&sr=8-3&keywords=routine+chart
Finally, when you don't have to go anywhere, enjoy Toddler Time and the lesson they teach us about living int he moment. You can read more about that in one of my prior posts: http://www.larosaparentcoach.com/1/post/2011/05/who-has-time-to-stop-and-smell-the-roses.html
Well, toddlers (and some older children), run on their own clock and I call it Toddler Time.
Toddlers have a very vague understanding of time. It is usually measured by what occurs before and after meals and sleep times.
This is why it can be challenging to get toddlers and preschoolers out of the house on time. Being late for something really doesn't mean much to them. But, of course it means something to a parent!
So, what can you do to help your child follow adult time?
Give yourself ample time. Of course there are days when unforeseen things happen on the way out the door, but in order to avoid being too late, start the process of getting out of the house much earlier than seems reasonable. You never know what roadblocks will slow down the process.
Give your toddler ample time. Things take longer when you are first learning to get yourself dressed. Give your child gentle reminders of what he needs to do to get ready. "Here are your socks. Go sit down and put them on. Great job putting on your socks. Now put your shoes on. Thank you." and on and on until you are both ready! Try and stay in the room with him to keep him focused. Parents are often running around the house getting the last minute things ready, but the more distracted a parent is the more distracted the child will be.
Be patient. After you give a command, give your child a little bit of time to start the task before giving him another reminder. Remember - he is working on Toddler Time and doesn't have the same sense of urgency you do.
If you are lucky enough to get out of the house earlier, reward your child and yourself with an extra ride around the block, listening to your favorite song or arrive at your destination early and enjoy some extra time playing or telling stories in the car.
Teach your child time. Introduce numbers on a digital clock. "When this number changes to 8 we need to put our jackets on and get in the car. Not only does this help your child learn numbers and time, but it includes your child in the shared task of getting out of the house.
Be consistent. The more consistent the routine is the less reminders your child will need. One fun way to help improve the morning routine and make it more consistent is to use routine charts. You can pretty easily create one yourself at home or purchase a pre-made one like:
http://www.amazon.com/Do-N-Slide-HATH-TD-for-Toddlers/dp/B004CPPCCA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1363288874&sr=8-3&keywords=routine+chart
Finally, when you don't have to go anywhere, enjoy Toddler Time and the lesson they teach us about living int he moment. You can read more about that in one of my prior posts: http://www.larosaparentcoach.com/1/post/2011/05/who-has-time-to-stop-and-smell-the-roses.html
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