Preschoolers=Middleschoolers

In addition to getting the makings of a cute story about what 4 and 5-year-olds do in a classroom setting, I learned some tips in how to handle my 14-year-olds.

Wear a headset and give orders in a clear voice using short commands. “Take off your hats and place them in the box.” All 20 or so kids did it with only one having to be reminded.

Before they went on to the next activity, the kids picked up their area. This is big. The teachers sang the clean-up song. I forgot this valuable parenting tool from when my kids were in ECFE and preschool. “Clean up, clean up, Everybody do your share. Clean up clean up, Soon the mess will not be there.”

My daughters know this song and most likely when I begin to sing it tonight they will automatically bring their cereal bowls from the living room to the kitchen. They will pick up their jackets and hang them on hooks. They will gather the crumpled gum wrappers on the computer desk and drop them into the waste basket which sits directly under the computer desk.

I’m so excited. Now where can I buy that headset?