Question
What do you do when a 2 (almost 3 year old) doesn't listen? I try to only give directions once and then I try to act on it. If it's something like putting his shoes on I simply put them on him myself. If there is a privilege and he doesn't listen I take the privilege away. Example....if we are on a walk and I tell him to walk close to the stroller (instead of the road) and he tests me I just put him in the stroller. I do try to give a heads up as often as possible. I usually try to say, "Stay on this side or you will go back in the stroller." That usually works. But then there's other times when I feel like I'm completely at his mercy. Is he going to listen? Is he going to test me to see what happens when he doesn't listen? Of course he is. And then I'm stuck not following through. For example, he goes to his room at noon every day for nap time. This has been the norm since his birth. Sometimes he naps. Sometimes he doesn't. I tell him, "you don't have to nap, but you need to play quietly." This is an important time for the infant to get his nap. He tries to stall nap time (and bed time) by "asking for help" (putting a toy together, etc). I am busy tending to the baby while he stands at his door whining, "Mama, help?" repeatedly. Sometimes the whining turns in to full on crying (especially when he's tired). Sometimes he just asks for help for a solid 30 min straight. It keeps the baby from falling asleep so it delays me coming to help him. It's a vicious cycle.
