Teaching toddlers the way to instruct best is one of the most important things in early childhood that at the same time is full of challenges. Whenever it’s a matter of cleaning the room, putting the shoes on or just asking the children to stop running, babies look like they just don’t hear it. Parents and caregivers are tireless and it’s not easy for them to go through the same process over and over, but still, at the end of the day they are met with confusion and resistance. Nonetheless, through patience, encouragement, and clear-cut strategies, little children can become good instruction followers.
Our current article is all about the practical skills to implement, in order to train your toddler into a good listener, which will surely result in your family having a lovely relationship and better mutual understanding.
Why Is It Important for Toddlers to Obey the Instructions of Others?
Before getting to the action, let’s highlight the pivotal reasons why such an ability plays a critical role in early childhood. Teachers instructing toddlers builds the foundation of their cognitive development. Not only are they taught how to communicate and behave in a social set-up, but children are also better prepared for school.
Through better comprehension, you can teach your child obedience to the adults’ instructions. It is good for them to be obedient as it will help in their characters and self-esteem building. Also, following instructions teaches them sharing, turn-taking, and appropriate behavior with other children and adults.
Tip 1: Keep the Instructions Laconic and Not at all Vague
As little kids are in the process of the language and comprehension skills maturation, too complicated instructions can make them confused. To improve the chances your darling will do what you’ve said, only communicate the instructions that are one-step and simple one at a time.
Such as:
- Don’t say, “Put your shoes on and get your backpack ready for school,” which can be changed to “Kindly put your shoes on.”
- If you have a task for your child who is still very young, it is best to give it to them one by one while giving them a lot of praise for finishing each step further before moving on to the next.
By doing this, we reduce the load on a toddler’s brain. As a result, the child can pay full attention to the current task.
Tip 2: Positive Reinforcement
If a toddler hears and understands us, we should use the method that involves positive reinforcement to make him/her do it often. When your child hears and listens to your instructions, go immediately and praise or reward him/her, for example, clap hands, give a sticker, or give them extra playtime. That way, a little kid will realize the positive and will rather stick to the rules accordingly.
Although it is very important to support the reward specifically to the completed task. As a parent, you can say, for example, “Thank you for doing it yourself and putting your shoes on the right way. Great!” In this way, children will praise themselves for the behavior and in most cases, they will repeat it.
Tip 3: Going Down to Their Level
Trying to reach the same level as your child is one of the best ways to win your toddler’s attention. Do not break your back since standing upright may already make you taller than the child. Get down to the child’s level by either squatting or kneeling. Making eye contact with children is so crucial that it guarantees that they will not lose interest in you or your words. The fact that toddlers tend to be a little bit preoccupied with something else, and as a result, they somehow feel to “close their ears” to what you are saying, while they look up to you while you are standing over them, is something you should expect.
Using your clear and not strained voice, talk to the child at your side and confirm with your open posture the fact that you are welcoming. Neither the words nor the sentences of your instructions will scare your toddler, getting a good look into their eyes, with a soft and quiet tone of voice you make them feel certain of the importance of the message you are delivering.
Tip 4: Make Sure the Instructions are Positive and Action-Based
Toddlers also benefit more from positive rather than negative or commanding words. “Don’t run!” is a negative example of how to phrase things and “Stop making a mess,” is another. A better approach maybe like “Please walk” and “Let’s clean up together.”
This method not only helps them to redirect their behavior, but also ensures that they won’t get into the pattern of a defiant response. They, therefore, figure out the right way to behave and eventually do away with the issues of not knowing what they should do in the first place.
Tip 5: Make It Fun and Engaging
Play is a significant part of the life of a toddler and in addition, if you change instructions into a game, the child will be more engaged in the process. For instance, if the task is to pick up toys, you may organize a race: “How quickly can we clean up all the toys before the timer goes off?”. Using easy words and playing with children during the chores will change the situation in a good way, not only for you but also the child.
When speaking, here are some of the opportunities where this approach might be very helpful – if your child has troubles with the bedtime routine, putting on clothes or eating meals. Through converting these activities into a game, neither the child nor the parent sees them as boring chores which is why the child is more likely to cooperate.
Tip 6: Use Visual Cues and Reminders
The use of visual aids in communicating with children is a very efficient strategy. The whole concept of utilizing visual aids is to help the child stick to the instructions, remember the steps, and start the work on their own. Such visual charts are not just for the purpose of giving a child something to remember – they also act a prompt by which a child can be reminded of what is next on the agenda.
Within this context, another similar tip might be that it is a good idea to install a timer or a clock on the wall that will be an excellent visual guide for the child whenever they perform the task of gathering all the toys and putting them in their place or they are getting ready to sleep.
Tip 7: Be consistent and Set Expectations
It is a known fact that toddlers will flourish the most in an environment where a regimen of daily routines and unchanging patterns exists. Making the children aware of their boundaries, making your demands understood, and behaving that way all the time would make a toddler less likely to question and contest your decisions. For instance, if the task demands cleaning up together, then be sure you do so.
Consistency is one of the major factors in child rearing that helps children learn and feel secure in the process of knowing what is expected of them on the one hand and what comes next on the other.
Tip 8: Be Patient and Stay Calm
Finding out how to follow instructions is a process that takes time, and toddlers sometimes resist or forget. It is very important for the parents to respond positively and with patience during those periods. Reacting with frustration or anger may cause the child to become more resistant and confused.
Conversely, you can always kindly reiterate the instruction and then, if necessary, give a gentle nudge or touch to get them started. It is only a question of time before they understand what they are expected to do.
Tip 9: Avoid Overloading Your Toddler with Instructions
There is a possibility that you might be inclined to give too many instructions all at once, especially if you are in a hurry. Nonetheless, this might have an adverse effect on your toddler and he/she may entirely ignore you. Focus on one instruction at a time and wait for your toddler to finish before moving to the next one.
To make things simpler, you can use visual aids or a simple checklist that will give them the order of things in order to accomplish the tasks.
Learning of toddlers to follow instructions needs patience, regularity, and an understanding of their developmental stage. It is through clear, simple, and unambiguous commands, reinforcing positive behavior, and turning tasks into fun and engaging activities that you will be able to turn the process into an easier, as well as more efficient one.
Keep in mind that not only do small children to be able to follow instructions quickly, but they also keep going for good communication, problem-solving, and social interaction skills for years to come. In the end, perseverance, time, and in addition to words of encouragement are the key to making your toddler not just a follower but also an initiator of tasks successfully.
