Introducing THIRD-Party in the conversations

As written elsewhere in the blog, we (as a family) generally do a lot of long drives. During those drives, we tend to talk amongst us, mostly having DS at the center - either he telling a story, or we play-acting as if someone else is with us and how do we interact with them and at sometime, he uses this time to play-act/model past scenarios, where he did something inappropriate and got into trouble at school.

So for this play-acting, he will insist on doing it two ways - the TGP* way (or inappropriately) that got him to trouble; and the SMA* way (the appropriate way).

During one of these drives, on an inspiration, we introduced third-party; while DS and DM are play-acting, I'll be a 3rd-party listener, by-stander or a non-participant in the play. I will be the one who sees DS' reaction and will form opinions and judgment in my mind- I (DD) play the 3P role and I typically switch between a potential friend (who is turned off due to DS' inappropriateness) or a teacher or an aide or a customer at the work-place.

DS is now looking for 3P reactions on all the role-plays; and a few days ago, he connected that with the action and consequences. Like what he did in a class-room (action) was observed by the 3P (his aide) and that resulted in a consequence, that DS didn't like !

Good stuff, DS !