When my four-year-old is watching something on TV or colouring or even just playing with some Lego on the table, it can be near impossible to try and get his attention without having to YELL.
Sounds familiar?
And then, when I do finally loose my cool and go “PLEASE JUST COME AND CHANGE INTO YOUR PAJAMAS NOW” or “I TOLD YOU 15 MINUTES AGO IT WAS TIDY UP TIME” I almost straight away feel bad that I yelled and vow to not to it again. And around and around it goes.
But then I came across these wonderfully zen-sounding tips by American mommy blogger and Play Therapy Counselor Amanda on how to get your kids’ attention, and having tried them out, I am definitively yelling less. Which can only be a good thing.
Seriously, if you just do one of these things to get their attention, you will be surprised at how beautifully well it works. Once you have their attention, you can ask them anything, because they can actually hear you. Amazing.
Whisper
This one is actually a proper MAGIC trick. Instead of trying to out-loud your kids when they are being all boisterous and wild, start whispering. I did, and it is nothing short of a miracle how quickly that gets their attention. Just try for yourself!
Touch Them
Much like this brilliant little tip we wrote about a couple of weeks back regarding getting your child not to interrupt you mid-conversation with another adult, the magic of touch is equally effective when it comes to getting their attention when you want to tell them something. Just touch their arm or shoulder, or get down to their level and try to get eye-contact. Once you know you have their attention, you can give directions or ask them to do things. And they will hear you. No yelling needed.
The Clapping Trick
Try to say quietly: “If you hear me, clap your hands,” then clap your hands together softly. Say it over and over until they are clapping too. Now you got their attention, don’t you?
