Teaching Your Child How to Follow Instructions

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Teaching Your Child How to Follow Instructions
Do you ever feel like a broken record, having to repeat things over and over to you child? If so, teaching him or her the simple skill of following instructions will help you both tremendously! Here is a guide for teaching your child this very important skill.

When given an instruction, you should do the following:

1. Look at the person who is talking.
2. Show that you understand ("I understand," "Okay" or "I'll do it"). Make sure you wait until the person has finished talking before you do what is asked. It is usually best to answer, but sometimes nodding your head will be enough to show the person that you understand.
3. Do what is asked in the best way that you can.
4. Let the person know that you have finished.

It is important to do what is asked because it shows your ability to cooperate and it saves time. Following instruction will help you in school, at home and in the community, with peers as well as adults.

Here are some helpful hints:

* After finding out exactly what someone is directing you to do, start the task immediately.
* If you have any concern that doing what is asked will result in some type of negative consequence for you, or if you don't understand the instruction, ask a trusted adult.
* Do what is asked as pleasantly as possible.
* Check back as soon as you finish. This increases the chance that you will get credit for doing a good job. It also means that somebody else won't have time to mess it up before you check back.

Summary: Want to help your child be successful throughout the day? Teach him or her the simple skill of following instructions.

http://www.parenting.org/tween-years/parenting/teaching-your-child-how-follow-instructions