Learning and FUN – a natural combination!
Earlier this week my husband wanted to take my son out to practice hitting baseballs. My husband is an ex-minor baseball league player and dreams of his son being a major league player.
My husband approached the situation by telling Brett that they were going out to practice baseball. My husband’s statement was met with a very adamant verbal objection from my son. The scenario developed into a screaming match between the two of them and my husband’s threats that there would be no computer or television time for Brett. Absolutely being addicted to television and the computer, Brett became hysterical and the situation basically exploded. My furious husband was ranting and raving, and Brett was crying uncontrollably…. This went on for about twenty minutes.
Once again, I had to intervene and try to calm both of them. I explained to my husband for the thousandth time that Brett is not dreaming of being a baseball player and that hitting balls on a 90 degree summer day was not his idea of fun. Brett was more difficult to console.
After calming Brett down, he and I proceeded to get out the water balloons that are shaped and printed to look like baseballs. We filled15 water balloons and put them in a cooler – all of course unbeknownst to my husband. Brett happily filled the balloons, placed them in a cooler and began to get ready to go practice baseball. He was actually excited about pulling a prank on his father by throwing water balloons at him that appeared to be baseballs!
Brett hopped in the car all prepared to play baseball!
They went off to the field, Brett hit the first three balls out of the park into right field and both of them came home soaking wet 45 minutes later!
What my husband forgot was that teaching and learning only happen when it is of interest to the learner! When the learner is a child, FUN is the key component to success!~ The financial cost to this successful learning experience was about $1 – a pretty good investment!
Lessons Learned: Incent child to participate, motivate child and remember that punishment is not the answer to obtain desired behaviors….. think about how an adult would respond …. If your boss told you to do something and threatened you, you would be left with anger and resentment – not a motivated attitude to complete the task! Put yourself in the child’s shoes!
Social skills: When teaching any skill, social skills are inherently included in your teaching. Our actions and language are social skills. Often we forget that our behavior is a model for a child or the person we are interacting with. It is crucial that we keep this in mind and try our very best to act in an appropriate and socially acceptable manner.
Watch OUT Derek Jeter! Here I come!
Tags: behavior modification, behavioral intervention, play, social skills, teaching social skills