Knowing What to Expect

“I was blindsided!” people complain when they’re taken unawares. No wonder. Not knowing what to expect can make life hard.  Whether it’s a driver signaling before they turn or your boss telling you about a meeting, we all appreciate a little advanced notice.

Children feel the same way. Most parents know the importance of preparing children for big changes in their lives—the birth of a baby brother or sister, a move, a new school—but we sometimes overlook more routine events. It seems a small thing, but Kim knows ahead of time that the plant will be a gift for Mommy. Children like to be told if a shopping trip will involve more than one stop or if someone new will be coming to visit.

A good rule of thumb is, “Take time to tell children what to expect.”

It may be as simple as saying, “We’ll probably have to stand in line for a while at the grocery store,” or as detailed as reading a picture book about what to expect when visiting the dentist for the first time. Whatever the situation, letting your child know what to expect can make a big difference in how they react.

It’s one of the ways that children and adults are alike. When the driver ahead of you puts his turn signal on, you have time to think about what it means for you. When you tell your daughter that it’s almost time to leave the park, she has time to think about what that means for her.

And, if you tell her not only what’s going to happen but also what she needs to do (take one last ride down the slide and wave good-bye to her friends), you’ll be making it easier for her to leave.

Children who have been told ahead of time what’s expected of them are more likely to be cooperative.

There are other benefits, too. Children whose parents let them know what to expect learn that life has order to it, that events can be predicted. They find out that it’s possible to plan ahead.

Preparing children ahead of time can encourage certain necessary thinking abilities, too.  Even a simple comment like, “First we’ll go to the grocery store and then to the library” helps children develop a sense of sequence concerning time.  Educators call it “temporal ordering,” and it’s the beginning of a valuable math skill.

In talking with very young children about an upcoming event, remember that their understanding of time is far from perfect. It’s hard for a toddler who is still piecing together her understanding of “after naptime” to grasp what “next week” means. Keep your explanation simple and close in time to the actual event.

Play Together

•    After a rain shower, draw with chalk on the sidewalk, The colors will seem brighter on wet pavement.
•    Poke holes in a paper plate or aluminum pie pan and use it as a sifter in the sandbox or at the beach.
•    Take time to stop at a construction site with your child and watch the big machines at work.
•    When you’re up early, carry breakfast outside and have a family picnic.
•    Don’t forget to make some mud pies this summer.
•    Help your child find ways to play with a big leaf. What can she use it for? A hat? A pretend dish? A boat?
•    Enjoy this issue of BABYBUG outdoors. Watch for birds as you read “Tickle Feather” and “Mr. and Mrs. Spikky Sparrow.”
•    And, like the little girl in “In My Yard,” you may see a butterfly flutter by, an ant climbing a plant or a worm that squirms. Enjoy the sights--and the rhymes.
•    Roll down a grassy hill together.
•    Make it a habit to call your child’s attention to the sky. Do it early in the morning, on a cloudy afternoon, or as evening approaches. Watch for a sunset or a full moon. The sky is an ever-changing sight — one we too often take for granted.

Reading Readiness

How do you help a toddler lay a foundation for learning to read? In addition to looking at books, exploring BABYBUG, and making up stories, simply enjoy everyday life with your child:
•    Talk and sing together.
•    Play with toys.
•    Share games like “Ring Around the Rosy.”
•    Recite nursery rhymes.

Language and enjoyable, real-life experiences are the building blocks of literacy.