HELPING CHILDREN DEVELOP PATIENCE
As a childcare provider, you must take care of the needs of multiple children of multiple ages. The babies in your care need to be fed in a timely manner and can often be very insistent when hungry. Their diapers need to be changed and they need to be kept clean and comfortable. Having their needs met are an important part of their development. Toddlers are not patient and can be very demanding. Because you are caring for such a diverse group of children it is essential that you help the children in your care develop patience.
Steps to teaching a child patience
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! Including activities in your daily schedule such as gardening, board games like Candy Land, cooking, and puzzles all are great ways to demonstrate how taking turns and being patient pays off in the end.
SET CLEAR TIMEFRAMES: Since most young children do not understand time until around age six, asking a three or four year old child to wait five minutes before you go outside can be meaningless. Instead try speaking in terms of events.
For example: Letting the children know that first everyone has to pick up. After picking up they must get their coats and put them on before they go outside
SHOW EMPATHY: Try not to criticize a child who has difficulty being patient. Emphasize the positive by saying something like “I know how hard it is to wait”. Let children know that you understand that impatience is not so much inappropriate behavior as much as a developmental issue. Children often feel emotions very strongly and don’t understand the feeling. By acknowledging the emotion can actually comfort the child.
KEEP YOUR WORD: If you do ask a child to wait until you have finished what you are saying before they speak, then make sure you allow that child to speak as soon as you are finished talking.
DEMONSTRATE PATIENCE: If you are impatient, you are setting a powerful example for the children in your care. Stay calm and slow down. Your example will go a long way in helping children develop patience.
It may take a while for the child to learn this skill, but with patience and consistency on your part the children will learn patience. Learning patience will also help the child to develop other skills such as becoming more empathic to those around them.