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How To Get Kids To Stop Interrupting

Last year Country Boy and I were getting increasingly frustrated with the kids when they would interrupt a conversation by just talking over us. We could be talking on the phone, to a friend, or each other, and they would just start talking and keep going until we had to stop and answer them. It’s not that we didn’t want to hear what they were saying, but they needed to learn an appropriate way to speak to us when we were already talking to someone else.

Ignoring wasn’t working because they would just keep going until we told them to stop interrupting, by which time our conversation had already been broken into.

We had tried talking to them at another time, but had seen no improvement.

Over the summer holidays we saw both saw this article shared on facebook which suggested teaching kids to get your attention in a non verbal, non disruptive way, by having them place their hand on your wrist and wait. You can acknowledge them waiting by placing your hand over theirs. Once you had finished your conversation (or had an appropriate break), you can give your attention to your child.

We loved the idea because it was simple, respectful to both adults and children, and it gave them a positive behaviour to get our attention, replacing the barging in and talking.

We sat the kids down and showed them how we would like them to get our attention when we were talking to someone else. We even role played, with us talking and them placing their hand on our wrist to get our attention.

Two months on, and I can say it works. Particularly with the younger two. The number of times they just start talking has dramatically dropped. Occasionally they need reminding, but we just need to tap our wrist, and they remember.

I wish I had heard about this technique years ago. Give it a go!

Do your kids interrupt? Got any other tricks to stop it happening?

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mums Take FIve says

    April 29, 2015 at 12:27 pm

    great idea isnt it. i'll have to test it out. Thanks for sharing with us for The Sunday Brunch Magazine, we look forward to sharing your work. Bel & Eliza xx

    Reply
  2. Mrs W says

    March 22, 2015 at 11:09 am

    I also read that article on FB and we instigated it straight away with our 4.5 year old. She's yet to remember on her own to use the method, she still usually just interrupts when she wants to say something and I have to remind her of the "touch my wrist" thing. But I think she will pick it up eventually. I agree, it's such a gentle and respectful way to teach them about waiting to speak.

    Reply
  3. Bec @pinchmebeautiful says

    March 21, 2015 at 4:11 am

    This is an awesome ideas!! Giving it a try. Thanks for sharing x

    Reply
  4. Jo@Countrylifeexperiment says

    March 20, 2015 at 11:30 am

    My youngest was 4 and a half when we introduced the idea. I do think that it might be too much for some younger kids, and I guess there is also a lot to be said for individual personalities too. My eldest (10) took the longest to get on board.

    Reply
  5. Emily @ Have A Laugh On Me says

    March 20, 2015 at 11:24 am

    I am trying this but so far only my oldest gets it – xxx

    Reply
  6. Jo@Countrylifeexperiment says

    March 20, 2015 at 11:23 am

    I think that once they learn not to interrupt in the rest of life, it flows over (a little bit at least!) to the car etc

    Reply
  7. Jo@Countrylifeexperiment says

    March 20, 2015 at 11:22 am

    Let me know how it goes!

    Reply
  8. Sally@Toddlers on Tour says

    March 20, 2015 at 10:57 am

    Thanks for the tip. This is a problem in our household at the moment and I remember a girlfriends son being just the same at this age. I am going to try implementing the strategy (though expect a problem in the car).

    Reply
  9. Stephanie Jefferson says

    March 20, 2015 at 10:42 am

    We've been doing the same with our four year old boy, he does still need reminding, but I agree it does work.

    Reply
  10. Dannielle from @ Zamamabakes says

    March 20, 2015 at 9:47 am

    Oh my goodness! Jo I'm feeling like you wrote this post just for me!
    Zadada and I had a conversation about 30 minutes ago and Bam!!!!!!……we were hammered with interruptions to the point where Zadada said we can't talk now!
    It's the weekend so this little action plan of yours is getting put into action tomorrow! There will be role playing and I'm sure I'll be thanking you very soon.
    Great post, thanks for sharing and have a gorgeous uninterrupted weekend. xx

    Reply

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Hi, I’m Jo

I'm a city girl turned farmer's wife, school teacher, ideas woman, and mum to three country kids. Country Life Experiment is all about simple country living, growing and making our own food, and life on our family farm in rural Australia. Join me as I give country living a try. Read more...
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Hi, I’m Jo

City girl turned farmer's wife, school teacher, ideas woman, and mum to three country kids. Country Life Experiment is all about simple country living, growing and making our own food, and life on our family farm in rural Australia. Join me as I give country living a try. Read more...
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