Without a doubt, it is an invaluable gift for children to help them or to be of assistance in the development and consolidation of the appropriate tools that promote self-control. This will strengthen their self-esteem and they will have the possibility of building a life and human relationships of high quality. Through self-control they will stimulate assertiveness rather than the reaction to an external event.
There is a technique to teach self-control in children that uses a wonderful animal as a metaphor: a turtle. It is called “The Turtle Technique" and serves to develop self-control of impulsive behavior. It has several objectives, including learning to differentiate and understand that internal control techniques are superior to those of external control.
Generally, external forms of behavior control consist of the systematization of reinforcements and punishments by a third party. Instead, the turtle technique has to do with teaching the boy or girl to control their impulsive behaviors by themselves, not through an external one; a third party.
Learn to be a turtle
At first, when the event occurs that could trigger the impulsive behavior, the child is taught to imitate the turtle. That is, before the menacing event, the child folds into his or her imaginary shell. It is important to note that this invitation to withdraw does not mean that the child should feel repressed; it is actually an invitation to self-containment that is activated when the child visualizes a turtle.
Thus, through this technique the turtles are given a new meaning as the symbol that will activate the self-containment that will lead to relaxation. This will facilitate the way to learn the problem solving techniques that help the child manage the situation that led him or her to imitate the turtle. It is a circular approach. The scheme is as follows:
Turtle - Relaxation - Troubleshooting
With The Turtle Technique, children are taught to channel the display of their emotions in an appropriate way. The technique is recommended for preschool and primary school children. In later years, the symbol (turtle) can be replaced by another one. The important thing is not the symbol or the image, but the procedure.
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