Helping Kids Develop Patience in an Instant-Gratification World
- Glenn Fletcher
- Jan 20
- 1 min read
TikTok, Roblox, instant answers from Alexa—our kids live in a world designed to eliminate waiting. Then they meltdown when they have to wait three minutes for snack.
Patience is now the #1 predictor of future success (more than IQ, according to the famous marshmallow study follow-ups).
Three patience builders that actually work:
1. Wait-Time Jar
Write fun 30–90 second activities on slips (hum your favorite song, do five jumping jacks, count backward from 30 by 3s). When kids have to wait, they draw a slip. Turns waiting into play.
2. Slow-Motion Day (once a month)
Walk in slow motion to the rug, pass out papers in slow motion, even recess line-up. Kids laugh all day and suddenly waiting three minutes doesn’t feel hard.
3. “Patience Muscles” Breathing
Teach “Balloon Breath”: hands on belly, breathe in for 4 (balloon fills), hold for 4, out for 6 (balloon empties). Do it every transition. Takes 20 seconds, resets the nervous system.
Auto-B-Good’s Patience episode has Johnny and Derek setting aside their impatience to help their friends in need. The lesson pairs well with patience punch cards and parent challenge sheets.
Get the lesson on Patience and join the 9-Virtues community of Rising Star schools:
