How guiding kids to a new activity is similar to teaching adults a new behavior.

As a mother of a 2-year old toddler and a 2-month old baby, I can say that I learn every day the art and science of motherhood. I learn from my daily experience with them, my husband, my parents and the books I read. I listen to my intuition as well.

A few weeks ago, I learned something from a Russian preschool teacher. Her advice had reminded of the work I do with my hypnotherapy clients.

As some of you may know, toddlers can be hard to convince to do something different, while they are enjoying doing something else already.

My daughter was on the swings, having a good time. It was time to go and take a nap. In a situation like that, I often found myself at an impasse. I didn’t want to force her to change the activity, as she would cry. Even gently, it would not work. So, I would wait, and give her “all the power” basically, while waiting for her to finish what she is doing. It is good to give them time and fully explore what they want. But sometimes, we just have to stop them and do something else instead. How do you convince a child, without them making a scene?

This is what the teacher suggested: look at her and tell her slowly exactly what you are going to do next, as you take her away from one activity to another. Get her to see it, while describing it.

“I will now take you down, we will walk on the grass, go down the road, take the stairs down, into house and climb up into the bed to take a nap with your little bunny!”

And you have to say it with kindness.

It worked! And I thought, this is precisely how I work with my clients.

In hypnosis, I describe to them step-by-step what it takes to implement a new habit or behavior. Showing to them what the desired new outcome looks, sounds or feels like can help them pivot in a new direction. It takes certain amount of specific words and phrases to convince one to change. Active imagination in hypnosis, builds trust and confidence in a new way of being.

Convincing works the same way with the kids. Or maybe it is the other way around. Adults can be convinced the same way as the kids.