Get Kids to Listen & Follow Part 2: Using The Eye-Eye Captain Method
From the archive. This post was first published on the original Green Eggs and Moms blog and is kept here as it was.
Prevent this by using the Eye-Eye Captain Method to get children to listen and follow
What if you could be as quiet as a mime during morning routines?
Okay, okay. Well maybe you’d still need to utter a few words but imagine this:
Without you saying much, your kids will get ready for school, fix their room, eat breakfast and get out of the door…
… all while giving your vocal chords a rest, and while everyone remains calm.
Sounds interesting right?
Presenting… The Eye-Eye Captain Method to get kids to listen and follow……minus all the talking, frustration and a few meltdowns.
What is it?
Similar to the previous post in this series, this method focuses on non-verbal communication to get kids through their daily routine: morning, after-school (including homework), bedtime and chores.
Last week, I featured the To The Beat Method, which uses music to get children to be more compliant and acquiesce to your (musically-delivered) requests.
To read about how using music can get children to follow, click here.Here’s how Eye-Eye Captain works: Use images to show kids what they need to do. For example, hold up an image of someone brushing their teeth or a tooth paste and brush, so without you saying anything, the children know what they’re supposed to do.
What’s even better is to show several images in sequence to complete certain routines. For example, stick morning routine cards on the wall where the little ones can see them.
In this post, I’ll be featuring free printable routine cards from Childhood 101. But of course, you may use other images or even create your own for a more personal touch.
This. Is. So. Simple.
Just print, cut and stick it somewhere children will be able to see them.
Every morning, all you have to do is point to the sequence and voila! You get kiddos to follow without getting into an argument or worse, screaming match. (Hey, don’t roll your eyes. It does happen.)
Here are other ideas for you to use:
- Pick-up truck to signal it’s time to “pick-up” toys or pack away
- White (doggie) bone to signal that it’s time to drink milk or eat food high in calcium for healthy / strong bones
- Worm to signal it’s time to read a book or two (bookworm)
- Yellow stop light to signal no running
(If you need more creative ideas, leave a comment below and I’ll be glad to help you out.)
So what are you waiting for?
If you haven’t used this method at all, go ahead and do so.
If you are using this for some tasks or routines already, why not do them for all routines (especially if your children are more keen on visuals or images)?
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