[stirringleaf]

just wondering what different people do to teach thier toddlers about the street. any great books to read them?

i have tried using a big serious DANGER voice when he has run toward the street, but he doenst listen to that. i have spent some time standing outside with him , pointing at cars and explaining to him that they are dangerous, but he just gets excited and says "yeah! cars!"

i have made it a rule that we hold hands in every street and parking lots at all times, (or i carry him) and i point this out to him, that we are holding hands cuz its the street.

but none of this is really seeming to sink in (yet). i'll continue regardless, but i was wondering if there are other ideas out there for street educating.

my ds is 20 mos.

 

[Potty Diva]

We do the same holding hands/ or be carried in parking lots, on sdiewalks, etc...

I also use a big scared voice when discribing the street and cars. We describe where we are at, and I think what made it work for us, is that I say, "You need to hold my hand because we are where the cars are and they could give you OWIES." The word 'owie' is one she knows and understands. Have you tried that? Or another word you use when he gets hurt?

Although I don't remember when she actually caught on, I also don't remember it being an issue before about 18 months.

But thenm I don't remember having difficulties with her listening to me saying STOP, when going farther on the lawn then I wanted her.

i am sure however that other mams here will have good advice for you.

 

[PONOKELAMAMA]

perhaps this is not the best advice, but a freind of our son had been told he would be "squashed like a pancake" if he went in the street, in a very gentle and humorous way. since ds does not know what a pancake is, we said "squash you like a peice of toast". anyways, our ds loved the comcept and has steered clear of the streets and holds hands because of it. everytime he considers going near the street, we remind him and he will stop and rattle on about being "squashed like a peice of toast" and instead of getting upset or frustrated, we go into our rhyme and he has not desire to go in the street. hey, it may not work for everyone but it has been a great technique for us. yes, the street is a very scary thing and should not be taken lightly, but some things are most effective for toddlers in a humorous and visual way and there are so many things that could be described to a toddler as "dangerous". try thinking of your own rhyme and make it up as you go along, if nothing else it will keep his mind off the desire to go in the road.

 

[EmmalinesMom]

I think that consistancy is probably one of the most helpful things you can do. I was sure Emmaline wasn't listening to a word I said about the streets and holding hands and all that, and right about the time she turned 2, she would reach up to hold my hand if we were playing in the yard and went closer to the road, and now she always puts her arms up and says "Up Please" when we are in a parking lot.

 

[where are my keys?]

you know, now that i posted this,, today ds is showing signs of having heard me. today when we were geting out of the car in our driveway, he did his usual wandering toward the street but he stopped a good 5 feet away from the curb ( as i was rushing toward him cautiosly ) and put his hands on his knees and kind of hunched down like i do when i am talking to himn, and pointed at the street and said "street, cars"

not only was it hilariously cute, but i was so pleased that he had listened to me the 2 times i tried this earlier this week. (i got down to his level and pointed at cars, the street and told him the cars could hurt him, etc)

at least he is mimiking me and seems to have liked me telling him that, even if he doesnt understand yet....so i just have to remember its repetition repetition repetition!

 

[Britishmum]

I think that you can carry on teaching but just never trust that they understand and have learned.

I say this from experience, as dd ran away from me and into the street when she was about two and a half. A car almost hit her. I screamed (a scream I can still here in my head now, and nothing like any noise I've ever made before or since), she stopped in the middle of the street right smack in the path of the car. Thank God he saw her, and was not speeding.

It was the most terrifying moment of my life. She stood in the road by the bumper of the car (a huge SUV) shaking and crying hysterically. At that moment she understood about why I always hold her hand near cars.

You'd think this would be enough of a lesson, but then just last week, six months later, she ran away from me across the lawn at home, and only stopped on the drive when I yelled at the top of my lungs.

You just can never trust that they understand, and even if they do, the temptation to play run-off at one moment of their lives can take them out into the street. To dd, it was just a little trick, she was giggling as she ran.

I never got to speak to the driver and thank him for driving carefully and not speeding, but I think of him almost every day.

Now I want to cry, so I'll stop. I can only say, don't trust in the 'teach the child to respond to 'stop'' philosophy, as you can't trust that a young child will respond when you need him or her to do so.

 

[nuggetsmom]

hold hands in the street, saying "stay on the sidewalk". And constant vigilance

Repeat repeat repeat.

I think DD (26 mo) gets it, bt I still don't trust her outside alone (Duh). I don't let my eye off her and I make sure that I can get to her fast if I have to. Our street is really really quiet though so I am less vigilant in front of our house than say at the parking lot, since she usually holds her hand up for me to take it before stepping in the street. And the one time where I did scare her with my freaky scared voice there was no car coming so it was a good learning oppurtunity. But anyway, holding hands or being carried are the only two options and that is the part DD gets. She doesn't fight it anymore. Well, not much.