Toddlers: 24 Months+
ClaudiaStar21
member
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Ways to deal with testing limits?
ClaudiaStar21
member
my 3 1/2 year old has been testing limits like crazy. You will ask him to do something or not do something and he will look you in the eye and do the opposite. I try to be consistent in saying "is that helpful or not helpful?, "is that rude or nice", "are you going to do it but yourself or do I need to help you" and giving time outs. Sometimes I get overwhelmed when it's non stop. And will raise my voice and will end up carrying him kicking and screaming into the bathroom or whatever after my other approaches haven't worked.
Any other tips? We must have done 4 time outs in a row tonight because each time the time out would be over and I asked him again to put his clothes in the hamper, he ran into the living room.
Any other tips? We must have done 4 time outs in a row tonight because each time the time out would be over and I asked him again to put his clothes in the hamper, he ran into the living room.
Re: Ways to deal with testing limits?
I know this post is a month old but I'll contribute.
Consistency. Being consistent is the only thing that will work, even if you start to lose your cool. Once our kids see us get frazzled, they've won. Sounds silly but it's true. All that hard work for attention just paid off because they made mom freak out.
If you have to put your LO in time out 15 times in one night, so be it. You have to stay consistent and stick to what you say/do/threaten. All we have to do is start counting to 3 for my son and he whips right into shape! (He's 3 years old).