Stop!

Recently I wrote about how I view compliance as a skill.  It is vital that kids listen to us in emergency situations (and wouldn’t it be nice if they listened even when it wasn’t an emergency?!?).

Here’s that post in case you missed it:

Picture This:

Your child has yanked his hand out of yours and he is darting towards a busy road.  Panic overcomes you and you lose your breath. Pause.

All is Well

Your child is safe and you’re just sitting here reading your favorite blog (wink). This scenario will never be a problem for you if you teach your child to respond quickly and consistently to the word ‘STOP.’ Ask your child’s school team for help if you need it.

One Suggestion

Start with a normal tone of voice so as not to scare your child, but then, over time, practice saying ‘stop’ every way you might say it in an emergency. Loud, firm parent voices come out when we’re scared, especially if we think our child might be in danger.  Show them that this big voice is nothing to be afraid of – it just means you need to stop right away.  Once your child stops, give them big praise and rewards!  Big!!

Pick Up Speed

Of course, your child will always be moving when you teach the command, ‘stop,’ but start with them moving slowly so they have more control. Then you can build up to having them stop when they are in a full sprint…this part is tricky, especially for kids who love to run.

But you’ll be glad you worked on it when the real-life scenario plays out.  Practice makes safety…I’m pretty sure that’s how the saying goes. Wink.