Making expectations known from a distance. When adults see children in threatening situations, their first impulse is to shout a warning: “Look out! You’ll drop the fish tank” or “Watch it! The f oor...

Making expectations known from a distance. When adults see children in threatening situations, their first impulse is to shout a warning: “Look out! You’ll drop the fish tank” or “Watch it! The f oor is slippery.” In cases such as these, children frequently ignore the message because they do not realize it is directed at them. The adult’s loud voice may cause alarm or stimulate children to become louder or more active themselves. In either case, the adult’s message is not received adequately. A better approach is to move quickly over to the child and state expectations in a faceto-face interaction. The benefits of such a direct approach outweigh the seconds lost to achieve it