Sunday, September 15, 2013

The power of Calmer, Easier, Happier Parenting Skill #2: Preparing for Success

Yesterday we had a big win with music practice.  I was with my son when he was doing his cello practice, and in his new piece there was a particularly tricky sequence that required him to think about several things at one time in order to play it correctly.

Before he played it, I did a mini think-through with him, asking him what he needed to do with his bow when he got to this part. He said, “push it down toward the bridge”. I said, “That’s exactly right.” You have to push it down as soon as your other hand is shifting up into 7th position. He nodded. 

Then he started to play that section. When he got to that part where he had to shift into 7th position, I could see that he was thinking about it because he hesitated slightly, but then sure enough, his arm pushed his bow down toward the bridge and he got this beautiful sound. When he finished, I said, “You remembered what to do with your bow during that tricky 7th position part! You pushed it down and the tone was beautiful.” He smiled and then played it correctly three more times. 

Preparing for Success requires us to be proactive, thinking about what’s gone wrong before and then doing something different to get a better result. Think-throughs work. They are the best way to help kids know what they need to do, remember what they need to do and then to do it without reminders. 

Laura Runnels Fleming (see details below)
Pasadena, CA

19 comments:

  1. very nice. guiding children on what to do at a young age will really help them when they grow up.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nice blog! Thank to author for giving such information. Really parenting books help the new parent in taking care of Childs.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This reminds me of my child being taught PDR in school: Plan, Do and Review. It has stayed with her for years!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wasp dudes! Amazing stuff continues the good work. Child Tracker

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Amanda! My name is Heather and I was wondering if you would be willing to answer my question I have about your blog! Please email me at Lifesabanquet1(at)gmail(dot)com whenever you get a free moment!

    ReplyDelete
  6. That is awesome! Reminds me of when I was taking piano lessons and the positive reinforcement my mother would give me. I always responded much better to positive reinforcement than to picking out flaws. Do all children respond to positive reinforcement the same?
    http://www.apcnorfolk.org/?t=parenting

    ReplyDelete
  7. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I want to learn the steps to becoming a good parent. I also don't want to sound like I'm reading out of a book, I want to feel like I'm doing my own thing. If this is what I want, what do you suggest I do? http://www.apcnorfolk.org/?t=parenting

    ReplyDelete
  9. I feel like my parents did a good job at taking care of us growing up. It must have been hard with so many of us, but It gave them experience. I am hoping that in the future, I can plan the success of my kids just like how my parents did. I guess you can say good parenting has a lot to do with learning form mistakes of others and trying to be the best parent you can. http://www.apcnorfolk.org/?t=parenting

    ReplyDelete
  10. My Tummy stocks high quality maternity clothing made in Europe. They have a great range of comfy but stylish pregnancy trousers, dresses and tops as well as breastfeeding dresses and tops.
    The pregnancy t shirts and tank tops in particular are great as they have fun and unique designs on the bump. All the pregnancy and breastfeeding clothes have delicate zippers and are free of harmful substances that can cause allergies. The tops and bottoms also go up to size XXL for ladies with very big bumps! In addition the clothing comfortably grows as you grow so you don't have to worry about garments not fitting in a month or two. www.MyTummy.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi, nice post. This is an interesting and very informative topic. Thanks for sharing your ideas. Norton Contact Number UK

    ReplyDelete

  12. Thanks for the useful information. Right on. It's more informative and easy to understand. Please help me suggest The Best School in Moolakadai The Best School in Vyasarpadi

    ReplyDelete
  13. State the problem: "I have a problem with you leaving your toys on the floor."best double jogging stroller

    ReplyDelete
  14. Get how to place the Norton Activation key and apply it to activate your Norton products.
    norton installation with product key 
    norton.com/setup install

    ReplyDelete
  15. https://learning.cmu.edu/eportfolios/5341/Home/How_Long_Does_It_Take_For_The_Baby_To_Adjust_To_Formula_Change

    ReplyDelete