Setting Expectations…

Last year, we only went to a pool two times. Every time we were getting ready to leave the pool, my two year old got very upset. Really upset. It was such a bad experience, we never went back.

This year it is different. Whenever we are getting ready to go to the pool, I tell her that after we swim, we will go home and we won’t be sad. Because we will come back again. She agrees. She goes home happy.

In my defense, I did the same last year. I would say all that and then ask: “Masha, what are we going to do after we are done swimming?” “We will dry ourselves with the towels”, she would respond.

 She grew up and my setting expectations tactics improved. Now we
–         talk about what we will do and we won’t do right before we go to the pool (or restaurant, or park, or airplane)
–         use the countdown (5 minutes left, 4 minutes left, etc. or 3 rides down the slide left, 2 rides left…)
–         tell a bedtime story about next day activities.

 I recently discovered another way to set expectations with kids. We use sticker books.  I find quite useful Going to the Dentist Children’s Sticker Book:

I wish had The New Baby Children’s Sticker Book when my baby was born. Masha was two years old and she already loved sticker books.

These and other sticker books are available on the Blooming Babies Website. You can also win $25 in free Usborne books here.