The Story Behind the "Going to the Playground" Story book

This story is one of our old time favourites because it is ALWAYS relevant. We still use it now when our two boys need reminding.

Before we begin, we believe in SIMPLICITY.

Make it simple...Teach it simple

Unlike regular children's books, We've deliberately created our story books to eliminate confusion and distractions. The stories are meant to be simple and effective, because they are intended for our kids to make sense of the world - instead of being entertained or stimulated.

The playground story began when the boys were at kinder.

It was pick up time. On the way to the exit gate we had to walk pass the playground - there was simply no way to avoid it. Playgrounds are irresistible to all kids. Our twin boys would just run straight to the playground. Yay! Play time.

Except it wasn't.

We could chase after them, but there were TWO of them, with endless energy to burn (think Benny Hills Chase Scene)...

When we finally get one to come to us, the other would say "NO!", then they would both run off. Working like a tag-team, they simply wouldn't give up - with the type of special persistence that special kids tend to have - no matter what we did. Bribes & Treats didn't work. Losing our temper isn't an option. Our kids simply don't understand it.

And you're thinking, "Crap, I don't have time for this. We needed to get home, bath, feed and bed them. And it's getting late, traffic is going to get worse..."

Sometimes ALL you want to do is cry, rip your hair out, and crawl into a dark space until it's over. But you are the PARENT. No one was coming for you.

So you grit your teeth and count to ten. There's got to be a better way.

This is what we did...

Instead of struggling with the boys, we said that they could play for 2 more minutes, using a timer.

And when the timer goes beep, we leave and go home. The boys were happy to play, and agreed to the rule.

1 minute into it, we reminded them: “1 minute left boys!"

Then when time was up, we said: “Stop, times up!” 

Best thing? It worked :-)

Those days, we carried a portable battery operated timer, but you could use the stopwatch or timer on your mobile phone.

And we carry on with using the Playground story book regularly. 

Remember, don’t give up. The most important thing is to keep using the same strategy so your child gets to trust this process and know of what is expected. 

Repetition and reminding are the keys for children to learn. Be gentle, be firm. Most of all, be patient. 

Nobody said it was going to be easy. But it is worth it.

Grab your FREE copy of "Going to the Playground" eBook

Happy Story Time!

Sean