The 5-Seconds Rule

Have you heard of the 5-Seconds Rule? No, I’m not talking about dropping food on the floor! This 5-Second Rule is a good rule of thumb to remember when talking with you toddler or preschooler. Young minds are developing rapidly and absorbing a lot of information. When you ask them a question, it is easy to get impatient after a moment or two and either answer for them or assume they do not know the answer. The reality is, small children need more time to process a question and more time to respond than older children or adults. A full five seconds is usually long enough for a child to respond to a question. And when you’re counting, five seconds is actually a long time. So whether you are helping them with learning or just asking what they want for dinner, try counting a full five Mississippi’s in your head before following up on your question.