Do you remember what it was like to be a kid? So much of the day was directed by adults. Wake up. Get dressed. Brush your teeth. Eat your breakfast. Get in the car. Go to school...
你还记得小时候是什么感觉吗？一天中大部分的时间都是由成年人指挥的。醒来，穿好衣服，刷牙，吃早餐，上车，去上学……
Sometimes kids listen to the orders and sometimes they don't. And when they don't, that can be very annoying for parents.
有时孩子们会听指挥，有时他们不会。当他们不听指挥时，对父母来说可能非常烦人。
So how can parents get their kid to be more obedient? A method widely advised by children's health experts is to let their child take part in short, daily child-led play called "special time".
那么父母如何才能让孩子更听话呢？儿童健康专家广泛建议的一种方法是
让他们的孩子参加简短的、由儿童主导的日常游戏，这种游戏被称作“特殊时间”。
It gives young children a chance to communicate with their parents without the stress of having to follow directions-which in turn, improves the relationship between them.
它让年幼的孩子有机会在没有必须听从指示的压力下与父母交流，这反过来又改善了他们之间的关系。
"Special time", developed by psychologist Sheila Eyberg in the 1970s, is simple for parents. For at least 5 minutes a day, sit down with their child and join him or her in an activity. That includes drawing, playing with dolls and building blocks. Stay away from toys or activities that have a lot of rules, such as board games. Don't ask questions or give orders because this is the child's time.
心理学家Sheila Eyberg在20世纪70年代提出的“特殊时间”对父母来说很简单。每天至少花五分钟，坐下来并加入孩子们的活动中。这包括画画、玩玩具娃娃和搭积木。但要远离有很多规则的玩具或活动，比如棋类游戏。不要问问题或下命令，因为这是孩子的时间。
"Special time" increases chances for closeness between a parent and child. As that attachment is building, it increases the possibility that a child is going to listen to or value what a parent has to say.
“特殊时间”增加了父母和孩子培养亲密感的机会。随着那种依恋感的建立，孩子才更有可能去倾听或重视家长所说的话。
Research has shown that this kind of playtime can be helpful in treating children's bad behavior. And it's been shown to improve attention and social skills in children.
研究表明，“特殊时间”有助于改善儿童的不良行为。它也被证明可以提高儿童的注意力和社交能力。
