Tip #174 from 365 Teacher Secrets for Parents (McKinley, Trombly): Step by Step

Today's tip for parents from two talented teachers comes from 365 Teacher Secrets for Parents by Cindy McKinley Alder and Patti Trombly.

#174

Step By Step

Yes, risk taking is inherently failure-prone. Otherwise, it would be called sure-thing-taking.

~Tim McMahon

There are things we do every day without even thinking. We get dressed, make our beds (maybe!), cook meals, drive to the store and so much more. Yet, we rarely stop to think of all the steps involved in completing these tasks. If we did, we might go crazy. Well, here’s your chance to drive your child crazy for once! This is a super fun writing activity that is sure to have the whole family in stitches. Here’s how it works:

● Have your child choose something very common that people do every day. (For an example, we’ll use making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.)

● Ask him to write down all of the steps involved in the task (the making of the sandwich). Tell him he needs to be extremely specific. Skipping lines in between the steps will be helpful. Another good idea is to write each direction on a numbered note card to allow room for adding details later.

● Now, gather as a family where the task will be completed (the kitchen). Choose which family member will follow his directions. (Let’s say Dad.)

● Have your child read the first step on his direction sheet aloud slowly and exactly as written.

● Dad should listen carefully to the direction read and do exactly as he heard, being careful to not do anything unless it was specifically stated. (For instance, if your child’s first direction is to spread peanut butter on the bread, Dad could act it out by using his fingers, instead of a knife if he wasn’t specifically told to get out the knife!)

● If your child realizes he wasn’t specific enough, allow him to quickly add in the missing directions and reread it to Dad. Now, will it work?

● Have him read through the rest of his directions, one at a time, while Dad follows them exactly as stated. (How funny when Dad decides to add the jelly into the peanut butter jar, instead of to the bread, because he was just told to “add the jelly”!)

● Try it again, this time having your child listen carefully to the directions written and given by Dad (preferably on a different task.) Encourage your son to listen for opportunities to be very specific and funny. (For instance, if Dad’s telling him the steps for getting dressed and says to put his socks on, but forgets to say on his feet, whisper to your child to put the socks on his hands if he hasn’t already picked up on the idea!)

Don’t forget to have fun together. The idea here is, of course, to show how details in writing can be extremely important, not to frustrate your child. He’ll probably also gain a new insight and respect for all of the completely complicated things he does all day so well. And you’ll surely all want to enjoy peanut butter and jelly sandwiches together afterward, too!

Cindy McKinley Alder Patti Trombly

For more posts about the authors and their books (this is not the only one), click HERE.
For excerpts from more books, click HERE.
For more excerpts from 365 Teacher Secrets for Parents, click HERE.
For more posts about books about parenting, click HERE.

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