Have you ever tried to tell your child, “Just wait one more hour and you can have that snack”?

If I try to tell my son to wait one hour for what he wants, he will continue to ask for it over and over again. He can’t seem to understand the concept of “wait one more hour.”

How do I teach my son to be patient and quiet those repetitive questions?

I set a timer and hand it to him.

Somehow it helps him to be able to see for himself exactly how much time is left before he can have his orange juice, or peaches, or crackers, or whatever else he is wanting.

The questions cease, and he is satisfied as long as he can see those numbers ticking away.

Interestingly, it also gives him something to do or look at because sometimes he loves to sit and watch the numbers decrease second by second.

This may or may not work for your child, but could be worth a try.

If she is more advanced, you could show her the clock and tell her exactly when she can have or do what she is wanting. That could even turn into a lesson in telling time.

Teaching your child patience can often seem next-to-impossible. But it’s nice when you can hand him a device and create instant patience!

Warm Regards,

Kay Donato

Discover Autism Help, LLC