Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Coping with Literal Thinking


Parenting a child who thinks extremely literally can be very frustrating. We understand, and have come up with some tips for saving your sanity when it comes to literal thinkers. 

(1) Remind yourself that it's funny
When you're trying to express something to your child and they're taking every word literally, step back and remember that this is hilarious. The quotes that are coming out of your child's mouth are comedy genius - screenwriters would pay to have exposure to material like this. So next time you say, "How's school going?" and your child replies, "It's not going anywhere, it's in a fixed location," take a moment to giggle. This is funny. 

(2) Time and Place
There are times and places for humor. Even if your child isn't trying to be funny, it's appropriate to remind them that this kind of thinking will be categorized as humor by the general public. As your child grows up, it's also important to explain that some people will see this kind of humor as being, "Smart Alec" behavior, which can be off-putting. By pointing out times and places where literal thinking is appropriate (especially the times where it's viewed as clever) you will be helping your child to use their quick wit to their benefit. 

(3) Main Point 
Kids who think literally also tend to have a hard time getting to the main point of a conversation, because they can be so caught up in the details. By restating the point of what your child is trying to say, you are helping them to recognize the main idea of the conversation. When they have a grasp on what a "main point" is, prompt your child when the conversation goes into a monologue. What is the main point? 

(4) Practice Figurative Language
When you see or hear a pun, simile or metaphor, discuss this with your child. You can even make a game by Googling a bunch of figurative language, studying them together and testing your child on whether or not they know what each saying means. This may seem like a silly game, but in actuality, these kinds of games will help your child navigate the world on a deeper level. 


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