The Duck Quack- the amazing power of the iPhone timer

“Quack, Quack, Quack.  The duck has quacked, time to clean up.” OK, Mom.

Yes, in our house the Duck rules the roost.  Literally. 

Our iFamily includes two iPhones and an iPod touch.  We first discovered the power of the duck when just telling the kids it was time for whatever didn’t work.  So one day, fiddling around with the iPod we found it. The timer.  And not only that, but it had an array of possibilities for the tone.  And for whatever reason, my husband Kyle chose- the duck.  Now, it is the duck who ends activities.  It is the duck that ends a time out.  It is the duck that tells the Mudget when he can come downstairs if he wakes up too early.  It is even tells some of the kids I work with at my school, that our time is up.

Yes, this has bitten us in the butt a few times, but generally, that duck can do no wrong.  So if you are struggling to get kids to transition to your requests, which is exactly what you are asking them to do, stop what you are doing and do something else that may not be preferred, try using a timer.   Whether it is the duck, or a kitchen timer, or the timed timer (http://www.timetimer.com/), using a timer can help your kids anticipate change and hopefully make the struggle less of one.