October 17, 2011

How Agile Kids kept my bed dry

Agile@Home :

Guest post by Avi Kaye, the editor of Agile Kids

When I started working on the Agile Kids book, I was skeptical. I have worked in Agile companies for years now, but I really didn’t see how you can translate a project management system into a raise-your-kids-right system. I mean, come on. Children aren’t projects. They aren’t employees, and they certainly don’t have the mentality to be part of the team.

Note: I have two kids - 3 and 6. At that age, they aren’t part of the team. Maybe (hopefully :)) this will change later on.

As I was working on the book - designing some of the interior images, editing some of the chapters, I started thinking of ways that Agile Kids can help me with my son. At the time, I was having problems with him at bath-time - he wouldn’t want to get into the bath, he’d drop his clothes all over the floor, and after I finally got him washed, he’d jump out of the bath and run and lie on my bed - wet, of course. So I turned to Chapter 18, and sat down with him to map out exactly how a bath is supposed to happen.

We came up with the following list:
  1. Go to the toilet before the bath.
  2. Put the dirty clothes in the hamper.
  3. Get in the bath.
  4. Wash and shampoo.
  5. Get out, dry off and get dressed


By the way - if you’ve got younger kids as well, they have just as much fun putting a list together - we just used pictures instead of words.

And I was amazed - it worked. Of course he had to be reminded a few times, but the list was right there to help him remember what comes next. Don’t forget, we made the list together - he was the one that suggested going to the toilet before the bath, and we agreed on the order of the tasks together. I didn’t tell him “here’s a list, now go follow it”. We developed the list together, and he understood that he was also responsible for making sure it was followed.

After a few weeks, of course, we didn’t really need the list anymore, but I’ve left it hanging up. It’s fun to remember.

And now my daughter is beginning to get my bed wet.


Agile Kids - The Book

1 comment:

  1. i especially liked this quote " if you’ve got younger kids as well, they have just as much fun putting a list together - we just used pictures instead of words."

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