(Tap, Tap, Tap) Mom! (Tap, Tap, Tap) Mom!

My kids used to tap on my arms all the time.

And I mean all the time.

In the grocery store: tap tap tap, mom!

While I was on the phone: tap tap tap, mom!

In the middle of church: tap tap tap, mom!

I seriously disliked it, and my mom (the first grade/kindergarten teacher) has said that the tapping was the worst part of her job.  

But let's be honest here.  They don't do it to annoy us.  They do it because they really really really want to be heard.  Everything in their little brains is the most important thought anyone has ever had in the world ever, and it's really important that they let us know exactly what those thoughts are.  It's precious, really, and I want my kiddos to feel like they are being heard.  

But the tapping had to quit.

This is the simplest little trick that I picked up from some really smart mom years and years ago, and I thought I'd share it with you.  I started this a few years ago with Isaiah, and it has worked wonders, and I recently just started with Izzy. They don't always remember, but we try to employ this as often as we can.

They know when I'm in the middle of a conversation or busy with something and they have something to tell me, they simply quietly come place their tiny hand on my arm.  This is their way of telling me, "Hey Momma, I have something super important I want to tell you!"

Then, I simply place my hand on top of theirs.  This lets them know that I fully recognize that they have something to tell me and will be ready to listen as soon as I've finished what I'm doing.

They can feel free to continue to hold onto my arm to remind us both that they were going to say something or take the chance I will forget and they can go back and play.  Either way, no tapping.  No constantly saying "Momma!  Momma!" and no mommy guilt for being slightly annoyed at my kids.