How I got my 3 y/o to do what I want her to

[notnecessary88]

@17cleo During the start of quarantine the only way I could get my 3 yo daughter to do 15 minutes of lessons was to set up her favorite stuffed animals and have them do the lessons too. Also I had to use the pocoyo narrator voice.

 

[lipensfan]

@superchristepic This is why I’m loving this thread! Kids are smart, and also have somewhat short attention spans - gotta switch it up all the time, and it’s great to get so many good ideas when I’m at a loss

 

[newshappy]

@17cleo My nearly 3 y/o is currently motivated by major fomo. My husband and I just talk to each other loudly saying lets go take a bath and she picks up with "no I want to take a bath first" and runs up the stairs crying because she is worried she is going to miss out. Doesnt work with bedtime tho.

 

[dadude]

@newshappy

 

[wudanar]

@17cleo I always said to my little sister that Hannah Montana would do the same if I asked her. One day her response was :' I don't like Hannah Montana anymore.'

The cutest expression.

 

[3693]

@17cleo Unfortunately in my experience there is a novelty factor here that eventually wears off. But enjoy it while you can and in the meantime look for new ways to trick them into compliance.

 

[hughes]

@17cleo Yup. Got them thinking about pink shampoo or blue shampoo going up the stairs and before they could actually think “hang on, I don’t want a bath” they were already there.

 

[helpmeplease26]

@17cleo Ahhh haaa haaa!! This is friggin HILARIOUS!!! I love it!

We as parents always gotta be using our Jedi Mind tricks on these little humans to get them to do what we want.

I do it all the time! And they got NO CLUE!!

I've found that if you can turn anything into a game or competition...then they're all over it like diarrhea on a baby's back

One time...I put green painters tape around 4 tiles on my kitchen floor. So it made a square. And I set a timer for 3mins.

I gave both my kids a broom and I said "let's see how much crumbs and dust you can put in the square before the timer goes off!"

If you saw how excited they got and how fast they were moving - You would swear that they were playing a game on Ellen's Game of Games TV show!

The struggle is real yo! We always gotta find any way possible to have the upper hand on these kids!

 

[liz45750]

@17cleo Kids like games in everything. I read a book on child psychology few days ago they learn more from playing then from parents or school.

 

[katrina2017]

@17cleo I had a kid at the daycare I worked at that I would “call him” when he wasn’t listening. I would hold up my hand to my ear and say “Sam, pick up your phone” then he would do it and listen to what I was saying.

 

[lipensfan]

@katrina2017 Lol I do this with a banana. I think she just finds it so hilarious that mom is such a dork, she forgets she “can’t hear me”.

 

[abigailwealth_1]

@17cleo I wonder if this would work with my 17 year old

 

[thebert2010]

@17cleo Just learned mine likes to race and be timed.

Guess who is investing in a fun time chart and timer?

 

[lipensfan]

@thebert2010 The timer on the oven works wonders!!!

 

[halas]

@17cleo Time to mention my favorite book, How to Talk so Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids Will Talk! They describe this type of interaction as encouraging cooperation through play and it’s a great way to get kids to cooperate. Kids love playing and they learn so much through play. If you’re able to add an element of play or silliness to something your kids resist doing, it helps reframe the activity for them into something they want to do.

 

[katrina2017]

@17cleo When my daughter was around 3 she had a friend that we’ll call Nicole. They loved each other to death, but were a bit competitive, especially when the other one wasn’t around. I would tell my daughter something like “eat your dinner” and she would respond with “I don’t want it” or “I don’t like it”. So I would say “ok, well I’ll give it to Nicole.” Suddenly she would want it.

 

[ugadawgfan1968]

@17cleo Lots of people keep saying “That won’t work for long!” but to me this whole thread is SO valuable because now I don’t have to come up with all of these amazing ideas myself. I’m not deluded and thinking one is going to work forever, I just know I’m prepared with options.

 

[mylifeisspoken4]

@17cleo this made a memory come back. when i was little i was the same but with stuffed animals, kids are simple when you are willing to understand them

 

[yaak]

@17cleo Mine just always has to be in charge. If I say, time for you to take a bath, it's melt down city. If I say, Minnie mouse is dirty, do you want to give her a bath? She's all in. Same for bedtime. It's never her bedtime. It's time for dino to go to bed and she has to tuck him in . She just wants to be in control I guess, and she loves bossing her toys (and the dog) around.

 

[tehama]

@17cleo We started using bribes...er....reward stickers.