Stories
I get to be a small part of a lot of families' lives. With permission, and always with names changed, I share some of those stories here. Not because the strategies are universal (they aren't), but because sometimes hearing how another family worked through something is the most useful thing in the world.
The restaurant.
A family I know was recently asked to leave a restaurant. Their three-year-old wouldn't stop screaming, and the staff had reached their limit. When mom shared the story with me, you could tell she was frustrated. She was embarrassed. She said that screaming had become a regular occurrence. She was not sure how to successfully take her child out in public.
I suggested one small thing. Before the next outing, while still getting her out of the car seat, I encouraged this mom to whisper the plan for that outing to her daughter. Just whisper. Whispering is a small magic; it requires a child to stop, listen, and think differently. To a child, it feels like being on the inside of a special conversation with their parent.
Mom tried whispering that same day as they made a short trip to the grocery store, quietly asking her daughter questions such as “Can you help me find the bananas?” It worked—her daughter whispered back. She tried the strategy at the library. It worked. The next time they went out to eat, no screaming. Incredible.
Having a new tool in her toolbox made going out in public with her child something manageable, and even enjoyable, instead of something to dread.
More stories coming.
If you've worked with me and you'd like to share a few words about your experience, I would love to hear from you. Always anonymized. Always with your permission.