This is a neat "trick" that has proven helpful with each of my children. I was reminded of it yesterday when I was busy in the kitchen cutting up salad veggies. Livia came to my legs and said, "Up, please, Mommy!" I told her that I couldn't hold her while I was cutting with a knife. She repeated, "Up, PLEASE, Mommy!" and the scene replayed itself several times. Finally, and without letting go of my leg, she started counting, "10...9...8...7..."
I started counting backwards with Owen (when he was small); it dawned on me that he couldn't comprehend that I just needed a LITTLE more time until I could... hold him, read to him, help him, etc. Sometime I count VERY slowly. Sometimes we count from ten more than once. Yet every time I think it helps. They are involved, participating (or even initiating as Livia did!) in counting, and they have ceased whining and asking for something because they are confident that they will get it after they have reached "one...pick me up!" I can take a few more seconds to quickly finish the task at hand, but I am maintaining the integrity of my word by actually doing what I said I would when I said I would. (How often am I guilty of saying, "I'll do it in a minute." and then letting many, many minutes go by before I follow through? In some instances, I know I am hoping that they will forget what they asked me and then I'll be released from doing it. . . however, my conscience before God has pricked me and I am no longer able to do this without remorse. Thanks be to God!)
So, moms and grandmoms and others out there: you may want to try the 10...9...8 Trick.
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