Some children are slow to do things in a timely manner because they are concerned about doing something exactly right or they might be too busy with their own interests. All children feel anxious at times, but you can help your child make better use of her time without causing her anxiety by helping her take control of her time by offering praise and encouragement.
Incentives
Your child might be motivated to get her responsibilities done, but might be anxious about making a mistake. Offer her incentives to help motivate her to get things done more quickly, but without causing her to feel anxious about whether she made a mistake. Make a chart with her different responsibilities on it, such as homework and chores. Each time she completes one in a timely manner, put a sticker on her chart. When she has a pre-determined number of stickers, let her choose a prize, such as a new book or a movie with you. Offer encouragement even if she does not earn a sticker. She will be more motivated to keep trying if she knows you are proud of her efforts.
Control
If your child likes to do things his own way, he might need a bit more control over his own decisions to help motivate him to get things done in a timely manner. When your child wants to wear a certain shirt or pair of shoes to school, let him. He will get dressed more quickly and you will spend less time arguing with him. Allow him to choose his fruits and vegetables at mealtimes or where he wants to sit to do his homework. If he feels that he is in control of his decisions, he is more likely to get to work and finish his responsibilities in a timely manner. When he makes his own decisions, he is also less likely to feel anxious about getting into trouble for taking too long to get things done. Giving him control will also reduce the time you spend in a power struggle with your child.
Contest
Your child might be anxious when it is time to head out the door to school or extra-curricular activities because you hurry her along so you are not late. Try setting up a contest for your child to motivate her to get dressed, brush her teeth, put her shoes on and gather up her supplies. Have her compete against her siblings or against you. Tell her that the person who is at the front door, ready to go, first, wins a small prize. On your mark, challenge your child to get her things done as quickly as she can. If she is at the door first, give her a sticker or a special treat to take in her lunchbox. Offer praise and encouragement throughout the game to keep it entertaining and to help prevent her from getting anxious about winning.
Timer
A timer is a useful tool for motivating a child to get things done more quickly. Tell your child that you will set the timer for a certain amount of time for each activity, such as five minutes to brush his teeth. When the timer goes off, he must stop the activity and move onto his next responsibility. Turn it into a game so he is not anxious about having a time restriction placed on him. Reward him with a sticker or high five each time he finishes his activity before the timer goes off. Start off with longer times to help him adjust to being timed, and gradually reduce the amount of time you give him until he is finishing his responsibilities in a timely manner. Continue offering encouragement throughout the process so your child learns the value of doing things in a timely manner. Focus on the efforts your child makes to work faster rather than the end result.
Member Comments