
Purpose: To help the adult manage their own frustration with the child’s slowness.
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The View of Time: The child lives in the pure present. The rush, the schedule, and the stress are adult concepts. When we yell at them for being slow, we are transmitting our own stress.
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Parental Regulation (The Antidote to Rushing):
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Awareness: Identify when frustration over slowness is our anxiety and not the child’s malice.
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The 3-Second Pause: Before giving an order or reacting to their distraction, stop, take 3 deep breaths, and then speak calmly. Calm is contagious.
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Anticipation Tools: Make time tangible and predictable. Use songs, visual timers (sand or light), and transition warnings (“In 5 minutes, park time is over”).
Exercise Files