HelpKidsChange Post

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How to Present the MotivAider to a Young Child

When you present the MotivAider to a young child, your goal should be to have the child experience the MotivAider as an interesting, friendly invention that will help her achieve something she herself wants to achieve. Make sure you tie the MotivAider to the actual personal benefit the child will get by making the desired change in her behavior.

Susie's teacher presented the MotivAider to Susie as "helping you remember to go to the bathroom so you won't have to worry anymore about having those embarrassing accidents."

Demonstrate enthusiasm for the MotivAider and its ability to help the child, and stimulate the child's interest and engagement by referring to the MotivAider as an invention. (Most kids love inventions!)

In describing the MotivAider's purpose and value, use metaphors and terms that are meaningful and appealing to the child.

• "It's just like a friend (or a buddy) who will help you remember _____ so you _____"
• "It's like having your own personal coach."
• "It's like having [the child's favorite athlete or idol] with you all the time just to help you remember to _____ so you _____"

When showing the child how the MotivAider works, describe what the MotivAider does in a simple, non-technical, interesting way, and enlist the child's agreement.

• "See how all of sudden it jiggles (or buzzes, or shakes, or taps you) just to remind you to .... And, guess what, nobody else will know what it's reminding you to do or even that's reminding you at all! It's our secret. Isn't that cool? "
• "This is an awesome invention that will help you remember to speak in a soft voice so .... Won't it be great to have this invention to help you remember?"

Promote a sense of ownership by giving the child an opportunity to make some choices about how she will use the MotivAider.

• "We could set it for 5 or 6 minutes. Which do you think would be best to try first?"
• "This is the way it jiggles. We could make it jiggle more, or we could make it jiggle less. Which should we try first?"
• "You could keep it in your pocket like this or on your belt like this. Which do you think would be better to try first?"

—Steve Levinson, Ph.D., Inventor of the MotivAider