Waiting During Mealtime
• Acknowledge your child’s efforts to communicate before asking them to wait for food:
• Acknowledge your child’s efforts to communicate before asking them to wait for food:
“Thanks for signing more!” or “It looks like you want potatoes!” Then countdown: “Wait for those potatoes to 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1…plop!”
“Thanks for signing more!” or “It looks like you want potatoes!” Then countdown: “Wait for those potatoes to 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1…plop!”
• Incorporate a waiting song between a request and fulfillment of that request:
• Incorporate a waiting song between a request and fulfillment of that request:
“Ben is waiting, Ben is waiting, for a cookie, for a cookie! Nice waiting. Here you go.”
“Ben is waiting, Ben is waiting, for a cookie, for a cookie! Nice waiting. Here you go.”
• Consider alternating your attention between your meal and your child during waiting time.
• Consider alternating your attention between your meal and your child during waiting time.
--Share a finger play.
--Share a finger play.
--Sing a nursery rhyme.
--Sing a nursery rhyme.
--Give verbal praise for waiting.
--Give verbal praise for waiting.
• Offer your child a favorite board book as they wait for the family to finish dinner.
• Offer your child a favorite board book as they wait for the family to finish dinner.