Many children in my classroom are still developing self-help skills, such as packing away toys and putting their lunch boxes in their lockers. It often felt like I was constantly chasing them to pack up. After learning the simple strategy of “Asking instead of Telling,” I was surprised by how well it worked. When I notice a child has left toys behind, I approach them and say, “I think you’ve forgotten something. What did you forget?” Most children respond with “What?” and then they have a chance to stop, think and work out what they need to do. I take children to the place where they played and acknowledge their feelings by saying, “I know packing up isn’t much fun, but I’m happy to help you.” Then I say, “I’ll pack away five things, and you pack away five things.” This simple approach has worked really well. Children are more willing to join in, and I’ve noticed that these positive interactions have helped me build closer and stronger relationships with the children.