Q: Do you have any tips for getting a kindergartener to stay on task? For example, my kindergartner takes a long time to get dressed.

A: Colorful charts work best for teaching young children reasonable efficiency for morning and bedtime dressing routines. Because most preschoolers and kindergarteners can't read, pictures can guide them nicely. A clock pointing to the right time for waking up, putting on shoes, a shirt and pants, and brushing teeth can guide children through the activities they're expected to do independently. Breakfast together works best after dressing, followed by a little play or TV time if they are ready for school early.

The chart for getting ready for bedtime can show times for toy pickup, a bath, a snack and a story. If the chart is on an erasable whiteboard, children can check each activity as they complete it. If you'd rather use paper charts, you can make multiple copies. It's good to lay out morning clothes before bedtime so choosing clothes doesn't become a discussion, and young children don't need to make those choices. As they mature to school age, they can choose their own clothes and lay them out at night.

Once they understand the routines, it is best that you not be in their rooms, or they'll become dependent on your nagging them through this. If they're still very poky, you can add a timer to see whether they can gradually beat the timer. Allow enough time, because young children aren't very speedy at the dressing routines.

Depending on their ages, they will most likely need help with tying shoes or fastening snaps or buttons. Your praise for their independence will encourage their completing tasks on their own. Consider the routines to be new adventures for preschoolers and kindergarteners.

Child Sensitive to Loud Bells

Q: My child is sensitive to the school bell loudness and wears headphones. I'm afraid he will be made fun of. Will he eventually become desensitized?

A: Some children are highly sensitive to loud sounds, and headphones can surely give them more comfort. Earplugs, which are less obvious to other children, might help your son with the sound. If your son has plenty of friends and seems socially comfortable, I don't think you should make any changes, but if he's struggling with friendships, you might consider the less conspicuous alternative.

Your son is likely to outgrow the problem somewhat, but he may always be more sensitive to sounds than most people. When you consider how noisy many environments are in our culture today, you can assume he'll either outgrow his problem or wish to stay out of many public places. There's a lot of variability with children, so you would probably accomplish most by assuring your son that his problem will gradually disappear. If you give it as little attention as possible without being inconsiderate of his real discomfort, he'll learn to cope better with his problem.

Dr. Sylvia B. Rimm is the director of the Family Achievement Clinic in Cleveland, a clinical professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and the author of many books on parenting. More information on raising kids is available at www.sylviarimm.com. Please send questions to: Sylvia B. Rimm on Raising Kids, P.O. Box 32, Watertown, WI 53094 or srimm@sylviarimm.com. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.