My kids are standing and quietly waiting. I’m 3 steps behind holding my toddler. The cashier strains her neck over their heads expecting me to speak. Instead, I prompt my children to speak.
The cashier is typically taken back, but responds patiently to my kids.
I feel doing something as simple as placing an order helps them develop a couple things:
- TO BE ASSERTIVE – sometimes in life we have to do things. And sometimes doing that can be hard. So by teaching my kids at a young age that they can step up and take action they can carry into as they get older and things get harder!
- SPEAKING SKILLS: Often times kids don’t know how to speak in sentences or loud enough to be heard (in public places), so by stating one sentence when ordering they are developing speaking skills!
- CONVERSATION AND RESPONSES: When asked a question in regards to their order, they are practicing conversation skills- learning how to respond. They are also making their OWN DECISION. When I first start this, my kids would look back at me in a questioning way. Their face said, “Do I want a red slushie or a blue one?” I simply responded with “your choice!” Regardless of age, they no longer look as checking with me for my answer, but instead respond in the conversation all by themselves! 🙌🏼
- THEIR CHOICE MEANS I TRUST THEM: I want my kids to know I will trust their decision. They start to learn that with things as simple as a Slushie flavor! Plus they learn to trust themselves to make their own choices!
- CONFIDENCE! They can see that THEY (even as a kid) can be heard and are a person! (A persons a person no matter how small! – Horton Hears a Who – Dr. Seuss) They don’t need mommy to do everything for them, they can do important things too!
- RESPONSIBILITY! The kids learn to be responsible for their own stuff. They learn that if they order wrong, it’s on them. They learn to correct something so it’s not given wrong. They are responsible in getting what they want.
- DISAPPOINTMENT HAPPENS… CHOOSE SOMETHING DIFFERENT! They learn that sometimes a food is out of stock, so instead of getting mad at mom, they hear it themselves and make a new choice. Sometimes we don’t get what we want and that’s not mom’s fault. 🤷🏻♀️ That is just how life goes, so we get past it and choose something else or eat at home. 👌🏼
- MANNERS! I want my kids to have manners! Please and Thank You are essential comments in.my opinion. When they order, they are asking for a service and should say please and thank you! The more practice kids get using manners the better in my opinion! 😉
Years ago, my kids were crowding me at the cashier because they want to be apart of it! Then they would throw in comments while I was trying to order. Plus they would get upset if they didn’t have any of their first choice item. I was asking them what they wanted to drink and my anxiety was heightened because I was taking lots of time and all those people were waiting in line. 🤦🏻♀️ Some days, I’d be wrestling the baby while in my arms trying to order for the others. 😳
My solution- because I like solutions- was to allow my kids to be a part of the process! And it was the best decision for them and for me! 🙌🏼🥰
Be patient the first few times you allow them the opportunity to order! Here are ways to help this be successful for your family.
1. Stand in line in the order they are ordering. I had my oldest at the beginning of the line (now whoever gets their first orders). By starting with oldest and going down, the other children hear what is to be said over and over again.
2. Practice what they will say. I asked the oldest what he wanted to eat. I then told him how to order it. “I want a pepperoni pizza please.” I had him repeat what I said. Then I went to my next child and repeated the same process.
3. Stand behind while they order, so you can help remind them what to say, clarify for littles’ speech issues and to reassure them they are not alone.
Hope these suggestions help for successful experience in teaching your kids to be responsible and how to order!
