The Alien Who Does Chores Pt. 2

Click here to read part one of "The Alien Who Does Chores"

I've been working on strengthening the cognitive function of Expressive Verbal Tools in our family lately.

One way I have been doing this is by playing a game with my kids where I will do something with them but pretend I am an alien visiting earth and they have to instruct me in the human ways of doing certain tasks, games and chores. This requires them to use their verbal skills to tell me how do a task.

We're having a lot of fun learning together.

Here's the second half of doing the chores in our bathroom, where my eldest daughter instructs me in the ways of cleaning a toilet.

We go through the initial start up of finding a cloth and a spray to use for our job. Once supplies are handy, I ask, "What do I do?"

"Well, you spray the bottle."

I spray her.

"Mom! Why did you do that?"

"You told me to spray."

She gives me a little scowl. "Not funny, Mom."

"Ok. I apologize. I need specific instruction though. What do you want me to spray and clean?"

"The outside of the toilet."

"Where do I start?"

"There." She points at the toilet.

I explain that I don't understand hand gestures and that I need a full verbal explanation of what she means.

"This thing, right here." She points to the toilet lid, a bit exasperated.

"Does that part have a name?"

"I don't know what it's name is!" Her voice is annoyed and she's started to lose sight of the fun that can be had in this game.

"Oh. It's called the lid."

"Well, clean the lid then."

I stop with spray bottle in hand. "Are we going to ask nicely?"

She's tempted to roll her eyes. I can tell. "Pleassssssse."

I accomplish the job with panache and ask her what's next.

"You have to wash that part there."

We go through the task working on labelling 'this part'. It's called the 'tank'.

"Why do I need to do this?" I ask. I am searching for HER meaning behind this project.

"Because you told me to do it this way."

"Any other reason why it's good to do."

She shrugs. "Helps it get clean, I guess."

I finish my job and she asks me to do the top of the tank. It's a slow process as she is frustrated by explaining each part of the job. She directs me to wipe down the base of the toilet and I ask her what I should clean.

"Well, I usually just do this side, because I find it hard to do the other side."

(this is a bit of a revelation to me as I had be assuming that she was doing this part of the job. I am a bit shocked to find out that it is much dustier than it should be.)

"How come you haven't done the other side of the base?" I ask.

"Well, it's hard to get to it because that side is close to the bathtub, so I just don't do it."

"Hmmmm..." I say.

I do nothing at the moment, but later recognize that this fits into a pattern of avoiding Challenge.

Later on we'll talk about why it's important to finish a task all the way to the end. For now, I notice that her enthusiasm has waned significantly and she is no longer having fun with our task.

"Ok, captain, what do I do next?"

"Mom, how long are we doing this for?"

And with that, she's done. Bored and disengaged.

But I started this task and by gosh, we're going to finish it!

Ignoring her disconnection, I ask how to clean the remaining parts of the toilet. It goes about as well as a headache.

When the job is done. We're both relieved and leave each other and the bathroom to find something better to do.

I start to the task of vigorously washing down my kitchen table. It's been done already but cleaning makes my mind work best. I'm annoyed at myself and my failed attempt at Cognitive growth.

In the midst of scrubbing I realize several things:

1. I didn't explain the whole "Alien cleans the Bathroom" very well. With my five year old, I was very careful to explain what I was doing and why. With my eight year old, I gave her a bare bones description assuming that she had paid attention when I worked with her younger sister.

2. I sprayed her at the start to be funny, but since she didn't get the concept of why I was doing that, she just got annoyed and disengaged from the whole process.

3. I recognize that she had a hard time telling me what to do because certain terms (like tank and lid) weren't defined to her. Yet, I'm not sure if this is an accurate representation of her knowledge because she was disengaged and annoyed through the whole process. So I decide on another solution:

We'll try it again!

Only first we'll start with a task that she likes, and then we'll move back to this one.

Because it's important to do things in the "easy-hard" step-dance way. I'll do something that is easy for her (something that she loves) and then I will ask her to do something hard (something that is a challenge and she isn't especially affectionate towards).

I'll keep you posted and let you know how that goes!

Mediating CF receptive verbal tools, expressive verbal tools

The Alien who Does Chores Pt.1

...or working on Expressive Verbal Tools Cognitive Function

Today I decided to give my kids a treat.

I offered to do their bathroom chores. They were thrilled.

Of course, I had something in mind.

I told them that I was an alien from outer space and new to the customs of planet Earth.

I was willing to do their task for them but they would have to tell me exactly how to do it as I had no idea how to go about cleaning a toilet or washing out a sink.

First up was my youngest daughter, who giggled profusely at the thought of me being an alien.

I made a weird face and that helped her visualize it.

"First," she said, "you get the spray bottle."

"Where is it?" I asked.

"Oh, it's under the kitchen sink."

She's right. I fetch it and bring it back. "What's next?"

"You need to get a cloth."

"Where is it?"

"Under the kitchen sink?"

I sigh dramatically. "I was just there." I return with the cloth.

"Ok, now spray the sink."

So I do....even though there are some items on the sink that should be removed. But I am an alien and only following orders. I don't know anything about asking to remove the items.

"Wait! Wait!" she bellows. "You have to remove the soap container and my toothbrush."

I ask her where they go. She tells me and I follow my orders.

"Now, what do I do?"

She smiles, "Now, you spray."

I spray willy-nilly and get a little creative with my spraying.

"Stop! You need to spray here and here, like this."

I tell my commander that I don't understand demonstrated actions. I only understand words and she has to tell me exactly how to do the job.

"Oh." She thinks for a moment, then proceeds to give me a step by step instruction of how to spray the sink. She exchanges the word "here" for the correct label of "faucets" and "the outside of the sink" (we have a stand alone sink with no counter around it).

Once the spraying is done she informs me that I am to start the scrubbing of the sink.

"Pick up the cloth." Check.

"Wipe it." No Check.

"What's 'it'?" I ask.

She laughs, "Mom!"

"Whose this Mom? I am an alien. I don't know any Mom."

She giggles some more and then explains exactly how I am supposed to wipe out the sink using words and directions that this alien can understand.

"Good job," she pronounces. "now you are done."

"Yay!" I drop the cloth on the floor and head out the door.

"Wait! Come back."

I return.

"You have to put it away."

" 'I't what?" I ask

"It. The cloth! It goes in the laundry room when you are done with it."

I am looking for meaning, so I ask, "Why?"

"Because you are done cleaning with it. It has become dirty and germy and needs to get clean."

"Oh."

I put the cloth in the laundry room and return. I am informed that I must return the spray bottle to it's home under the kitchen sink.

I do.

Then my daughter gives me a hug and tells me that I clean pretty well for an alien.

****

Some thoughts:

When pursuing this activity, I was wanting to see if my daughter could give me the correct labels for words that she commonly called "this", "it" and "here".

*I didn't follow any actions that she tried to do in showing me how to clean the sink. I wanted her to verbally direct me on how to do the task.

*I was also looking to see how much she retained from the times I have taught her how to clean the sink. Did she remember all that I taught her? If not, was it because my training was poorly done or her ability to grab all the information is impaired?

*Could she provide me with HER meaning on why certain tasks were important to this job

*I wanted her to have fun as we looked at this cognitive function, and being a space alien made for a lot of laughs.

Cognitive Function in Input Phase: Perception

If the cognitive function is precise and accurate, the child will:

*focus attention long enough to perceive relevant details

*clearly differentiate between essential or relevant details and extraneous or irrelevant details

*define and describe the attributes of an object or problem

*use past experience to analyze new information meaningfully

*perceive all aspects of a problem holistically, that is, to integrate all parts

*invest appropriate attention and time to detail depending on the novelty and complexity of the task

If the cognitive function is impaired, the child may have:

*poor attention to form, shape, size, and space

*poor discrimination of letters that look alike (ie. confuses e and c)

*poor discrimination of letters that sound alike (ie. confuses e and i)

*an ability to select relevant details (focuses on background noise--a car passing--rather than the parents voice or can't focus on a specific visual item in a picture)

Strategies to Correct Blurred or Sweeping Perception

How Mediated Learning can help:

*Intentionality &Reciprocity-The parent gives a strategy for focusing attention (ie. read carefully and slowly)

*Self-Regulation-The parent encourages the child to self-regulate

*Competence-the parent praises responses

Cognitive Function in Input Phase: Exploration of a Learning Situation

When this Cognitive Function is adequate the child will:

*approach a task in a goal-oriented way

*take time to gather and assess all the information needed to define the problem

*think through a task in an ordered and systematic way

*control speed and precision when solving a problem

When this Cognitive Function is inadequate the child will:

*rush into a task too quickly in a haphazard and disorganized way, without appropriate attention to what is required, or without adopting a methodical approach

*have poor investigational strategies, and will not see the need to gather and integrate all the information necessary to think through a problem.

*lack self-control and have difficulty adjusting the speed, accuracy, and precision needed for a particular task

Strategies to Correct Impulsivity

Areas where Mediated Learning can help:

*Intentionality and Reciprocity-the parent slows the pace to ensure attention

*Sellf-Regulation-the parent encourages self-control

*Optimistic Alternative-the parent directs consideration for another alternative

Cognitive Function in Input Phase: Receptive Verbal Tools and Concepts

If the cognitive function of Receptive Verbal Tools and Conceptst is precise and accurate, the child will:

-know the meaning of words and related concepts to understand incoming information.

-utilize language as a means to receive information

-utilize language as a mean for reasoning and communicating in social situations

-listen to and process the language, which necessitates the knowledge grammar, semantics, and pragmatics

If the cognitive function of Receptive Verbal Tools and Concepts is impaired, the child will:

-listen and understand spoken language imprecisely even though their hearing is fine

-misunderstand instructions and questions

-have poor ability to comprehend incoming language which will impede their understanding

Strategies to Correct Impaired Verbal Skills

Areas to Mediate:

-Competence- the parent adapts the task to the child's level of language competence

-Transcendence- the parent reinforces concepts using examples from the child's environment

-Meaning- the parent encourages meaningful use of language

Cognitive Function in Input Phase: Understanding Spatial Concepts

When this Cognitive Function is adequate the child will:

*understand how objects or people are physically positioned in space

*accurately locate oneself in relation to others or objects (ie. to formulate a personal reference system)

*access the relationships among objects or people

*use labels that describe positions in space (left and right)

When this Cognitive Function is inadequate the child will:

*lack labels for adequately describing positions and relationships among objects (ie. in front of, on top of, out, in)

*not have an established personal spatial reference system (ie. left and right)

*experience difficulty in accepting the relativity of personal space (ie. my left may be your right)

*lack the ability to plan the use of space efficiently and appropriately

*need to physically show and point rather than describe a set of directions

*have difficulty locating him or himself mentally in space

Strategies to Correct Impaired Spatial Concepts

Areas you can focus on:

*Intentionality and Reciprocity-the parent provides an opportunity ti experience space

*Bridging- the parent expands ideas

*Self-Regulation-the parent encourages the child to rely on his or her own resources

Cognitive Function in Input Phase: Understanding of Temporal Concepts

When this Cognitive Function is adequate the child will:

*understand the sequence and order of events

*understand how units of time are organized and summated

*make spontaneous comparisons between time concepts in order to gain meaning

*understand how the past has influenced the present and how actions in the present will have consequences for the future

*make use of past experiences of future anticipation in order to control behaviour and organize time effectively

When this Cognitive Function is inadequate the child will:

*not understand or use timetables, calendar or planner

*perceive events out of context

*not understand the outcomes of action a problematic behaviours or events, and thus manifest a problematic behaviour

*not be able to delay gratification and will expect immediate rewards (or punishment) for actions

*feel confused because he or she is disoriented in time

*not exhibit systematic exploratory behaviour

Strategies to Correct Impaired Temporal Concepts

Areas you can focus on:

*Meaning- the parent helps the child to become conscious of time

*Self-Regulation- the parent provides an example of cause and effect

*Sense of Belonging- the parent clarifies for the child

Cognitive Function in Input Phase: Consider more than one source of information

When this Cognitive Function is adequate the child will:

*think about two or more sources of information aat the same time

*gather data from various sources

*perceive an issue from different points of view

*examine more than one aspect of a situation in order to see the relationship, connection, or links between them.

*use two elements as sources of data for comparison whenever a problem is confronted

When this Cognitive Function is inadequate the child will:

*tend to focus on and take into account only one of the dimensions of alternatives

*consider only some of the information needed to complete an assignment/task or solve a problem

*be unable to recall all of the facts needed for completing a task

*recall disjointed pieces of information and not be able to put them together to form a meaningful whole

*engage in egocentric behaviour

Strategies to Correct Impaired Capacity to Consider more than one Source of Information

Areas you can focus on:

*Intentionality & Reciprocity-the parent points out to the child the need to consider two sources of information;

*Meaning-The parent points out how mistakes can be avoided by using all the relevant information.

*Bridging-The parent bridges a skill to related situations