Tag Archives: distraction

The Best Kind of Distraction

My son is adorable. He’s just recently joined the “4 months old” club and I couldn’t be prouder of him. He sits up better every day. He’ll look into your eyes and smile. He’ll laugh. He’ll play with toys you put in front of him. He’s gaining talents in every area. It is amazing to me that he’s cuter each and every day. He shares that trait with my wife. So allow me to paint a picture for you. This is a cautionary tale to all parents of newborns and I share it to caution you of the dangers that … Continue reading →

No, No, No!

Yes, this is about no. Four-year-olds love to push boundaries, and sometimes my boundaries can feel mighty pushed. I find four-year-old temper tantrums very difficult to deal with, too. At two years old, my toddler was easily distracted. “I want a cookie! I want a cookie!” “No, dear, you’ve already had a cookie.” “I want a cookie!” “Oh, my – look at that garbage truck!” “Garbage truck? Oh, garbage truck!” At four, our tantrums seem to revolve around the same business: treats, toys, and television. However, my daughter is much less willing to be distracted. “I want a cookie!” “No, … Continue reading →

Positive Reinforcement and the Power of Distraction

I try very hard to be a positive reinforcement trainer with my dogs, and not a negative reinforcement. Some days it works better than others. When we’re out walking, I’ve got a constant stream of chatter going — encouragement and praise, mostly, though sometimes, I also just talk to them about what they’re doing. If the dogs are doing something right, I tell them. It’s when the dogs are doing something wrong that I sometimes run into trouble. Lally is generally easy to correct. A light tug on the leash or saying her name is enough to get her attention … Continue reading →

Mary, Martha, and Betty Sue

We read in the Bible about two sisters named Mary and Martha, and their brother, Lazarus. The members of this family were close personal friends of our Savior’s and He came to visit them whenever he was in Bethany. On one memorable visit, Mary sat at His feet while He taught the principles of everlasting life. Martha was busy in the kitchen, preparing the evening meal, and felt as though Mary should be helping her. When Martha spoke to Christ about this, we all remember His response, that Mary had chosen the better part. Women of the Church have thought … Continue reading →

Trivia is a Fine Distracter

Distraction and re-direction are great skills for a parent to have in their parenting tool box. While we may learn to use these naturally with an active toddler—turning him away from trouble by distracting with a toy or a change in activity, as children get older, finding ways to re-direct and distract can get a bit tougher. One of the things I learned over the years is that discussions of popular culture or trivia serve as a fine distracter! When my children were little I could use songs, poems, a change in activity, all sorts of easy endeavors to re-direct … Continue reading →

Parenting Bag of Tricks

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When Tyler was younger, I often used distraction as a way to squelch a tantrum or to stop the tears when he was tired and cranky. As he got older, I did not use this method as much if at all. I figured he could “use his words” instead of crying. The past few weeks I have used two of my old tricks to stop unwanted behavior and both have worked surprisingly well. The first is distraction, which I already mentioned. I have also found that talking in a soft, quiet voice is equally effective. When Tyler was younger, I … Continue reading →

TV As Pain Management For Kids

Watching cartoons can be a great distraction for kids at the hospital! Parents have long recognized the distracting powers of television, but research is now confirming it. This research comes from the University of Siena in Italy, and the lead researcher just so happens to be a father of three. Sixty-nine children between the ages of seven and twelve were given needles (like the type used to take blood samples) and asked to rate their pain. Mothers were also asked to rate their child’s pain. On the positive side, it is good to have a powerful distraction for children undergoing … Continue reading →