Helping Joshua Leave

by David and Catherine Butcher

 
Sometimes, when it is time to leave "Gramma's" house, Joshua does not want to leave!  In order to make this transition easier for our son, we developed the following strategy.

We give Joshua a specific time frame in which to get ready.  We tell him that we will count to 10.  We count slowly, saying a number every minute or so, and he is usually ready by the time we count to 7!

Life is getting a little more complicated now, however.  Joshua has learned to negotiate, and if he really doesn't want to leave, he will request a higher number.  ("Count to 100!")  His counting skills have become so good that he complains if we miss a number...

Perhaps it is time to change strategies...

David and Catherine are the parents of Joshua (5) and Caroline (13 months).  They live in Peterborough, where Joshua started  kindergarten in September.