Recently I have visited a preschool and in their questionnaires there was a question “how do you help kids to actively participate in activity?” It is an ordinary question but when I started writing the answer “I will ask for the help” I have decided to write this article on the same.

“Help me please” is more effective way to help than “may I help you”. Just think if you don’t know how to shop in mall and if someone will come up with “may I help you” what will be your answer? Most of the people will say “no thank you” even if they need help and will end up without buying anything. Reason is very simple. We are not ready to take help. We feel embarrassed. We think no I can do this by myself. We feel other person knows better than us or maybe we are just shy but the thing is we will say NO. This is the case with kids too. Kids are just younger in size and age but they too have all the good or bad qualities of human being. Good thing is we have still time to write new chapter of good qualities to make them better person.

Now you understood why not to ask “may I help you”. But at the same time we have to help them. So how can we offer our help in a positive way? The answer is say “help me please”.

Why to say “Help me please”:

• Feel confident: When you ask for help, kids feel they too are important and that feeling helps them to build their confidence.
• Fulfill your requirement: Sometimes we really want them to do the things like clean up, hold our hands while outing and many more but when we ask them to do that they won’t be ready. Help me please will encourage them to do such things with fun.
• Taking help is good: As I said we humans are not easy to accept the help but if you will ask for the help, your kids too will take the help easily.  They will learn asking for the help is not a bad thing which will definitely make them open to accept all the challenges and changes in life.

Where to say “Help me please”:

• Help me in Need: When you really want them to do certain age appropriate things. For example to tidy up their toys, clean up the table, showering plants etc. Help me please will encourage them to do such things.
• Help me to help: When you know that they can’t do certain things all by themselves and they are not ready to take help say help me please. For example if they are not ready to take the help to get ready you say “hey let me help you in dress up and then you help me to pack your lunch box. You know I can’t work without your help.”
• Help me to make sure security: Kids always like to run here and there which makes us worried. During outing if you don’t want them to leave your hands or go out of your sight say “please stick to me so I can’t get scared. You are really brave you know.” Or my way “hey please hold my hand or else I will be lost.” Trust me they will never leave you alone.
• Help me to teach discipline: Sometimes somewhere we have to be quiet and kids just can’t do that. Whisper “here we have to be quiet but I cannot be this much quiet so please help me to be quiet. Trust me they won’t even allow you to say a single word!!! For them they are in charge but truth is you are controlling them. What else can be the better way to teach the discipline?

So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and say “help me please.”