Don't stand so close to me.......
Find a Conversation
Don't stand so close to me.......
| Mon, 04-03-2006 - 11:22pm |
Isn't that a song by the police(LOL)? I was wondering if anyone has any ideas about how to teach Jake where to stand when he's having a conversation with other kids? He just gets wayyyy to close and it can be intimadating to other children.
Teresa
Teresa

yeah, ummmm, trying to remember where I saw that one but it was for older kids using I think comic strip conversations.
I am thinking for someone as small as Jake, he will need something very concrete. Perhaps teaching him what an arm's length is. If he can reach his hand forward and touch the other person he is too close. The problem with that is that he may learn a routine to stretch his arm out to check the length everytime he talks to someone or may get too far away.
Tough one, for now I would just give him lots of gentle neutral reminders when he is talking to you and others where to stand. Dave still does this as does Emily. I have a rather large personal space myself being tactile defensive so it REALLY makes my skin crawl. I don't mind cuddling them but close talking makes me nuts!
Renee
Hmm. How close is too close? I was thinking if he can touch them with his elbow, that is too close, Brush with fingertips: that's OK. I he can't touch them, then that is too far away.
Those are easy-to-follow guidelines, but younger kids have relatively shorter arms, and I can't picture the distance in my head. Is it too close? If yes, disregard the rest of this mail.
Guidelines like this will almost definitely start him "touching and measuring" especially at first; to get the distance right, but it will start him think about distance, and in time he should be able to judge without using his hands. It is probably something you can practice at home.
-Paula
visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
Teresa,
Matt has similar issues, has no concept of personal space and it does intimidate other kids and sometimes adults too. I've been using the arms length example. I have him work on it with his 6 year old NT sister and myself. I have them hold hands like in a dance position, let go and keep them down by their sides and have conversations. I explain it as "talking space". I'll say to him..sometimes if you stand too far away (and I walk 10 feet away from him) you can't hear what the person is saying or sometimes if you are too close (and I get right in his face) it's hard to hear because you are too close. Then I'll take his hands and move arms length from him, still holding his hands and I tell him that this is good talking space, we can hear each other and we can look at each other.
It's a work in progress, but he does seem to be getting the space thing better.
Carol
Powered by CGISpy.com
My son does the same. The way I have told him is to approach like he would and then take one step backwards. Seems to have helped him a lot.
- Anandhi.