Tip from parenting group: Interruption

Pregnancy has me falling behind.  Here is a quick parenting tip I was given recently at my moms group.  I really like it a lot and would love to share it.

For interrupting:
My oldest daughter has little "interruption sense".  She tends to just start talking out of turn or, for that matter, not stop talking.  This has more than flustered my youngest daughter and has created a situation where I do not always hear all of what my oldest has to say.  I try to catch enough to seem involved.  Dinner time can be dominated by her chatter too.  I feel really blessed to have a child with so much to tell me.  Other moms complain that their children tell them nothing of the day at school.  Often I wonder if I can tease out the important information in the long drawn out details of the rest the day.

The Strategy:  When talking with another adult if interruption clueless child wants to communicate with you:
1.  Have the child place their hand silently on your arm and wait patiently.  (Try not to giggle - I believe our children can do this!)
2.  After a second place your hand on their hand.  This shows that you recognizes them and tells them that you will get to them as soon as there is a break in conversation with the other adult.  (I love this, because the child will feel ignored and unimportant without the recognition.  The concept that a simple comforting touch reminds them that they are important and loved and that you want to hear them is beautiful in its simplicity).
3.  Then when you can, without making them wait to long (since, otherwise they will melt down and ruin the strategy) turn to your child and ask them politely what is up.

Gosh this sounds so simple!  And silly even to write.  Yet, when you have my children who believe that every thought they have is vital and time sensitive this is a great respectful way for the kids to start learning not to interrupt.

I want to implement this at our dinner table too, but instead of touching my arm, perhaps raising hands.  A little academic, yes, but I hope to get all my children to learn the importance of turn taking.  I will try to find other strategies for dinner time turn taking.