Because the health and safety of children is a big concern for parents, one simple way to keep your toddler safe in parking lots, or anywhere else when Mom’s attention is divided, is to direct your child to place his hand on the car. Using the phrase “hands on car” provides a concrete meaning to “don’t move” and is much more effective than Mom constantly repeating, “stay close to the car”, “stand still” or “stop”.

To facilitate the learning process and to make it fun for the child, you may consider placing a sticker of their favorite charac­ter such as Elmo, Pooh Bear, or Thomas the Train on the car, and then direct your son or daughter to place their hand on the sticker. We suggest you begin this training by practicing at home, in the safety of your own driveway.

“Hands on car” is another form of self-control and one that can be easily trans­ferred to other venues where you need your child to be still and safe. “Hands on the shopping cart”, “Hands on the counter” and “Hands on Mommy”, are all simple phrases your toddler can understand and obey. The small investment of time you put into this training can pay big dividends when it comes to the health and safety of your child.