What is "ducklings in a row"?
This technique is very simple - it just means having your children follow you along like a row of baby ducklings.
Why us it?
This technique is literal, concrete attachment. And for children that are very concrete thinkers this allows them to really understand that you are the leader and they will be safe following you.
Being a strong, loving leader for your child is the basis of therapeutic parenting. When we can implement this in fun ways that make life easier for parents and more attainable for kids, its a win-win!
How to implement and practice this technique:
Get your ducklings in one place and tell them you are going to be doing "ducklings in a row" and that you want them to be the ducklings and you will be the Mama/Papa duck that they will follow around.
Children up to about age 10 do well with physically holding on to you. Children 11 + do well with following along behind. If you have a whole row of ducklings in your family, have two at a time holding on and the rest following in a row.
The real purpose of belt loops
You know those loops on pants that people think are for belts? They are actually duckling loops! Have your child hold onto a loop while you walk around the house, go for a walk, etc. Practice literal attachment!
No duckling loops?
Use pockets, sweater bands, or waist bands for places for your child to hold on to you. If you don't have any of these on today, tie a long piece of stretchy fabric or a scarf around your waist and have your child hold on to the other end of it. (Don't make it too long - you don't want to lose your duckling!)
When to use it:
Use this technique when you can see your child is having a hard time with attachment, letting love in, or making good choices.
You can use it for an hour or two each day or as needed, for a couple of days in a row, or as a regular, routine therapeutic parenting practice!
Fun ways to practice:
Play follow the leader
Play "Mom/Dad Says..."
Play Stepping Stones Lava Follow The Leader
(How exciting would it be to combine ‘follow the leader’ and ‘the ground is lava’ into one game? I’ll tell you – unbelievably exciting.
For this you need some rubber spots all over the place. These are the stepping stones over the lava.
The children are going to gather in a line, with the parent who is ‘it’ at the front.
The leader is going to begin stepping over the lava on the rubber spots, and they are going to move in different ways as they do it. The rest are going to try to follow.
So, the leader might:
i) Jump sideways
ii) Do big giant steps
iii) Try stepping backwards
iv) Step low or high
Train Track
(Mark out a pretend ‘train track’. It could be a 20m circle of cones for example.
Have a line of children in a group. These are the ‘carriages’ waiting at the station.
Pick one parent to be the leader. They are going to be the ‘train’.
The ‘train’ sets out to do one lap of the ‘track’ all by themselves.
When they get round once, they go to where the others are waiting at the station. The first carriage in the line is going to hold them round the waist (like in a conga), and then off they will go for another lap together.
When they finish that one, they go back to the station, pick up the next carriage, and off they go again.
In the end, there will be a huge chain of children going around the track. A fantastic activity for all train lovers.
