Waiting Is a Skill I’m Learning

15 PRACTICAL TOOLS FOR BUILDING PATIENCE & WAITING SKILLS

Detailed, step-by-step guidance for parents, children, and young adults

1. Explain what waiting really means
Tell kids that waiting is not doing nothing — it is staying calm until it’s time.

2. Use the banana metaphor often
Say: “Bananas take time to ripen, just like good things.”

3. Help kids notice the urge to rush
Ask: “What does your body feel like when you want something fast?”

4. Teach a pause before reacting
Practice stopping for one slow breath before acting.

5. Use clear, predictable waiting times
Tell kids how long they need to wait and what happens next.

6. Pair waiting with a calming action
Breathing, squeezing slime, or gentle movement helps regulate impatience.

7. Start with very short waits
Build success by practicing small waiting periods first.

8. Praise the effort to wait
Say: “You waited even though it was hard.”

9. Avoid rushing to fix impatience
Allow kids to feel frustrated while staying supported.

10. Model patience yourself
Say out loud when you are waiting calmly.

11. Use visual timers when helpful
Seeing time pass makes waiting feel safer.

12. Practice turn-taking during play
Slime play is perfect for sharing and waiting turns.

13. Reflect after the waiting ends
Ask: “How did you help yourself wait?”

14. Reinforce that patience grows with practice
Remind kids it’s a skill, not a personality trait.

15. Celebrate progress, not perfection
Every calm wait builds stronger self-control.

THERAPEUTIC STRATEGY & PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH
Patience and Delayed Gratification Training based on Executive Functioning Skills and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

This approach supports:

• Impulse control
• Emotional regulation
• Frustration tolerance
• Long-term self-control skills