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 11
Ways of Using the Art of Distraction
The Art of
Distraction is a learned concept that a parent can use to
keep their child(ren) busy or distracted from a certain
situation. This concept is a great tool best utilized
during frustration times, arguing, fighting, when you need
some time to accomplish something, or when tears erupt.
Any child can benefit from this because it switches their
attention to something new. It is best used instead of
yelling, scolding, or spanking a child.
Eleven Ways
using the Art of Distraction:
·
Use a toy to change the subject.. For
example, if a child was demanding to go to the park, you
can use the art of distraction to change the subject. You
can put off going to the park (because it’s raining), by
creating a fort for the child(ren) to play with inside.
How to make a fort? Use a sheet and cover the table or use
some chairs in a circle and cover them with a sheet or
blanket.
·
Use a few books to distract several children
away from a toy that everyone wants. This will promote
reading and you can remove the toy without letting the
fighting continue.
·
When in the grocery store and your child
demands a certain box of cereal, use the art of
distraction to change their viewpoint. Head to the cookie
bakery of the store and request a free cookie. This will
help you continue to shop, by distracting the child with
something to eat. If you do not like to give a sweet
thing, please ask for a sample piece of deli meat to try
at no charge too!
·
Stop a battle in the car between any two
people by switching to music. Put in a favorite tape and
shush the crowd by keeping the volume very low. Explain
that you will raise the volume of the favorite tape when
the noise level becomes acceptable.
·
Unacceptable behavior happens in every
child. Stop the behavior quickly by using the art of
distraction. Try not to just give in and give them what
they are demanding. Try instead to use a more workable
solution to the situation. For example, say a child wants
to have a certain toy from the toy store. Distract the
child with a way to earn the money, so that they can
purchase the toy themselves. If you have a younger child
that is demanding a particular toy in the store, distract
the child with statements of “Oh my” and then pause for a
moment. Then continue with “ I almost forgot to get your
dad his soda! Hurry honey, let’s go and find your dad’s
favorite soda!!”
·
If your child gets into an entire bag of
candy and you find him/her sitting there eating it piece
by piece, you can turn this situation around by using the
art of distraction. Try going into another room and
calling his/her name. If they won’t come easily, call out
a “Come hurry Kathy, look what I found!” Make sure you
have an object or toy that will keep their attention. In
other words, don't just call them and then have nothing.
Often this should be enough to distract the child to where
you are located. If the child still won’t come, try
bringing in a treat that is acceptable for the child to
eat and do a switch with the art of distraction. Have the
child come over to you to get this other favorite treat.
Once the child has it in their hands, put the bag of candy
out of reach or away. If you leave a couple of pieces of
candy left for him or her to eat, usually they will not
argue that you took everything away from them.
·
A conversation arises between two kids in
the backyard. They quickly turn it into a yelling and
screaming match between them. A quick way to diffuse the
entire situation is to use the art of distraction. Call
one of the children by name and have them talk to you for
a minute diverting their attention all on to you. Create a
conversation about a family vacation coming up or
something the child needs to finish today. Then turn and
include the other child in the situation. Ask him/her what
their family plans to do for a vacation or if it is a
sibling, ask what they hope to do and see on the vacation.
Will they play games in the car or listen to music? Will
they get to buy a souvenir or will they buy something
special to eat with their spending money? Will they see
any beetle cars on the journey? Or will they remember to
bring their favorite hat? There are many questions that
you can ask that will make them stop what they are doing
to think about what you are asking.
·
Often a Christmas time, things can heat up
quickly when a child is obsessed with getting a certain
toy or toys. Diffuse this fast by using this art of
distraction that we use at our home. “Steve, that looks
like a wonderful toy, have you made your Christmas list
out yet?” or “Steve, hurry, go an get your Christmas list
and add that toy to it, hurry!”. So what do you do when
the Christmas list is more than a mile long? Try this
approach. “Steve, you do remember that Santa can’t
possibly bring you all of these toys. Tell me which ones
are your favorites?” or “ Steve, you do remember that we
can’t possibly get you all of those toys for Christmas. Do
you have any favorites listed on there?
·
What happens when you need to do something
in particular, like put in a load of laundry and your
child is hanging on you for security at the moment? Use
the art of distraction and bring in several of his or her
favorite things to distract him or her. Turn on a favorite
movie or tv show, settle them with their favorite blanket
or bottle, give them a few treats, or bring the child(ren)
with you to the laundry room and have them help you with
things a child can do to help. For example, folding clean
laundry or sorting out the dirty laundry.
·
The art of distraction used in a dangerous
situation can help to distract the child into thinking
about something else. Fore example, your small child is
trying to touch the grill in your back yard. First reason
with him/her and explain that it is dangerous and it could
harm him/her. Then tell them NO! Next if the child
continuously tries to touch the grill, bring him or her
over to see the grill within a safe distance and explain
the danger again and have them feel the heat from where
they are without harming them. This is just so that they
can actually feel the hot heat it produces and it creates
a sharp remembrance in their mind for them. If your child
still tries to touch the grill repeatedly, try using the
art of distraction. If you keep trying the art of
distraction, you will eventually find something that
he/she wants to do more than touching the grill. Try a
favorite toy, have them look for the favorite toy, try
giving him/her a treat while you or your spouse is cooking
on the grill (icees work great or Popsicles), make a
pretend grill for him/her to cook on while you or your
spouse finishes cooking (you can use a box and some play
or real cooking utensils. For the food to cook, use your
imagination or try molding some clay), or maybe even try
the sprinkler or the garden hose.
·
When a child is hurt or in the hospital, you
can use several things to distract your child. Each is an
example of the Art of distraction again! These will help
your child forget for a time the pain or the waiting that
they have to endure, such as TV, a movie, a Popsicle, ice
cream in a cup, a favorite drink, a board game, a card
game, thinking games, conversations about their favorite
things to do or see, discuss a family vacation coming up,
talk about their pet at home, talk about the garden, show
them some neat places to visit on the internet, computer
games, playstation, write a letter to a friend or
grandparent, “I spy” game, make some paper airplanes or do
some origami, read a story or have them read their own
story, make up your own story (talk about it or write it
down), do some puzzles, give lots of hugs and kisses, or
maybe even try a favorite toy(s)!
I hope that I
have shown you various ways to utilize the Art of
Distraction. Every parent and child can benefit from this
wise tool. It can create more bonding time between you and
your child without either of you realizing it and it can
foster peaceful solutions instead of saying No! all the
time, yelling, or spanking. Sure, just like every other
parenting tool, this might not work in every situation;
however, it is one of the best tools that I have found and
it works!
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