Learning how to say "NO??" (Abby not me, lol)

britishbride05

Ok, it's funny, I was going to post the same title and came on and saw V did, too... but my question is totally different!

Abby learned how to say "NO."  at first it was cute, you would give her something to eat, she'd say "NO" and then reach for it.  But now?  Now she says NO and means it.  But she says NO to eeeverrrryyyyything.  i know she's hungry, but when I give her lunch, she says NO and shrieks.  She is saying no even when I say "let's watch Elmo!"  and she LOVES Elmo.  I'll turn Sesame Street on and she'll say NO and scream and throw a fit.  This is EVERYTHING now.  Every little thing Peter or I tell her to do, she wants nothing to do with it. 

Do we ignore this?  If she says "no" to sesame street/lunch/any sort of help whatsoevever, do I just listen to her and say "fine" and don't give her the help/lunch/turn on the tv/etc...? 

I'm just a little overwhelmed and tired- and I think she may be asserting her independence and acting like this b/c of Sarah.  I'm just not sure how to get her to listen to me now!

(i'm aware that there is probably a really logical and simple solution to this lol)

MellyMelB

When she says NO to Sesame Street, Elmo, etc...say, "Yes, ma'am" and turn off the TV. LOL. Watch how quickly that stops. Then when she throws the fit - then ignore her until she relaxes and say, "Abby, say, "Yes, Elmo". I had to teach Sophie to say YES to me. That was a response I had for her when she said NO and I knew she meant yes. Sophie, "Say, YES" and pretty soon everything was, "Yeaaaaaaaaaah". LOL.

With food, instead of giving her the option of yes or no. Say....do you want hotdog or chicken for lunch? Try your hardest to not ask her yes or no questions. Its not easy - Sophie tended to say NO even when it was not a YES or NO question. She liked the power. But she learned quick that when she was hungry....it didn't pay to say no and since Abby is an eater, too, I think she will learn pretty quickly. I did the, "say, "yes" thing a lot here, too."

 

TayLynn

Ditto Mel. 

I was also going to say to offer some choices so she can assert her independence. 

GL! 

rach312

Lynda's been pulling the "no" over dinner time too.  Usually I tell her it's dinner time and she gets upset (usually because she's playing) and shrieks no.  For the past few days I tell her okay, you don't have to eat anything if you don't want, I still make her sit in her chair and tell her she has to stay there for 5 minutes.  If she doesn't want to eat, she doesn't have to.... well every time as soon as I struggle to get her in, I give her her food, walk away and within 30 seconds she has calmed down and is eating. 

Try to not get worked up over it (way easier said than done).  I just calmly tell her whatever I need to and when she sees it's my way, she'll usually calm down soon after.  

soontobemrs.rjd

I agree with Mel, start obeying that np command and allow her to understand the consequences of her words...we did that with charlotte. .. gl!!!

Mrs.HisOnly

MellyMelB:

Sophie tended to say NO even when it was not a YES or NO question. She liked the power.

I obviously have no advice but I will say my god-daughter Carlee did this. She when through the NO thing and before you could even ask the question she was already telling you no. It went something like "Carlee...." "NO"

It went away after a little but that No was was for everything even things you knew she wanted.