The Warning System

Countdowns work, but most parents use them wrong. Saying "five more minutes" to a four-year-old is meaningless because they have no concept of time.

Two warnings work better than a stream of reminders. The first plants the idea. The second adds a transition bridge that makes leaving feel like a gain: "After we leave the park, we get to pick a snack at home." One warning gets ignored; constant nagging just raises the tension.