Fidgeting (was: Re: child marriages, generally)

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Posted by Sarah Jasmijn on October 7, 2001 at 16:31:07:

In reply to: child marriages, generally posted by Catherine Cartwright Jones on October 7, 2001 at 15:15:00:

Hi,

Reading the following description I wondered if I was just weird, or what:

: I got that little hand hennaed in 7 minutes flat. She was ready to
: explode from fidgits by the time I got the last lines down!

I know I *was* able to sit still at that age. My mom made ballet costumes for everyone at the school where I took classes, and I was always the fitting dummy for everything even remotely my size... Same with make-up/face painting at that age and a whole bunch of other stuff. Was I such an unusual child?

After reading your description of how you did it, I wonder if maybe going about it a little differently might have helped. Whenever you hold any part of a kid down with the specific intent *of* holding them down, their instinct is to get away. Asking them to lay their hand in yours, and then only holding it to position it gives you just as much control (*and* restraining power, should it be needed), with the advantage that the kid is in a more cooperative mindset.

Also, talking to them about what you're doing, telling them about the design for example, instead of distracting them might help. If they're focused on you, and on what you're doing, they aren't as likely to get interested in their surroundings and and wanting to wander off.
Even small kids can look at something for a really, really long time. (As any parent who has tried to drag kids away from something they are interested in, even if it is just a ladybird or a leaf, can testify.)
I haven't hennaed kids, but in similar situations this approach has always worked very well in my experience.

Works on adults too, BTW! :)

Cheers,

Sarah Jasmijn

Follow Ups

impulse control and body consciousness Catherine Cartwright Jones 21:24:26 10/7/2001 (1)
- Re: impulse control and body consciousness Sarah Jasmijn 11:44:42 10/8/2001 (0)

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: Hi, : : Reading the following description I wondered if I was just weird, or what: : : : I got that little hand hennaed in 7 minutes flat. She was ready to : : explode from fidgits by the time I got the last lines down! : : I know I was able to sit still at that age. My mom made ballet costumes for everyone at the school where I took classes, and I was always the fitting dummy for everything even remotely my size... Same with make-up/face painting at that age and a whole bunch of other stuff. Was I such an unusual child? : : After reading your description of how you did it, I wonder if maybe going about it a little differently might have helped. Whenever you hold any part of a kid down with the specific intent of holding them down, their instinct is to get away. Asking them to lay their hand in yours, and then only holding it to position it gives you just as much control (and restraining power, should it be needed), with the advantage that the kid is in a more cooperative mindset. : : Also, talking to them about what you're doing, telling them about the design for example, instead of distracting them might help. If they're focused on you, and on what you're doing, they aren't as likely to get interested in their surroundings and and wanting to wander off. : Even small kids can look at something for a really, really long time. (As any parent who has tried to drag kids away from something they are interested in, even if it is just a ladybird or a leaf, can testify.) : I haven't hennaed kids, but in similar situations this approach has always worked very well in my experience. : : Works on adults too, BTW! :) : : Cheers, : : Sarah Jasmijn
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