Things that work

[krysalyss]

I thought that it would be a good idea for people to add what things they have hit on that work for them in their parenting. It can be anything from dealing with sleep to tantrums.

DH and I can add three things to get everyone started:

1. When DS (2yrs) doesn't want to eat his dinner we invite one of his 'friends' over (one of his favourite stuffed toys).Once he sees them gobbling up his dinner he always gets involves and usually eats most of it. It is a fun way to convince him to eat something.

2. When singing him to sleep in his cot, the songs are 'eyelid' powered. They stop when his eyelids are open and start again when they are shut. Helps to get him to sleep on those difficult nights.

3. When faced with something he doesn't want to do we (almost) always give him a choice. For example if he doesn't want to get a nappy change he can choose whether I or DH do it. Or he can choose to have it done on the change table or the couch. When thinking of choices I always try to keep in mind what the ultimate aim is. For example if we are dealing with a difficult bathtime I try to remember the aim is not for him to have a bath but to be clean so his choice is to have a bath or have a clean down with a washer etc.

Keen to hear everyone elses tips that they haven't had a chance to pass on before.

[shellbell3]

The choice thing is a good one in lots areas. I always give DD1 2 choices for breakfast and lunch so she'll eat. And now DD2 is around I always ask DD1 whos nappy I can change first so that way we have easier nappy change times (rather than her running off).

She generally is quite good with putting things away but on the odd occasion she refuses I give her the choice she can help me put them away in the toy room or help me put them in the bin, that gets her helping!

[sneakysparkle]

What a great thread idea!!!

Things that work/help with my 2yr old:
* If she is struggling to eat dinner we say "5 more mouthfulls" and hold up 5 fingers. Each finger has a 'secret sound' so after each mouthfull she gets to push a finger down and hear what funny sound it makes (animal noises, random things, raspberries etc!)
* If she doesnt want to brush teeth/hair I give her a brush and she does mine while I do hers!

Will come back when I remember more

[aimz78]

thanks everyone, i love these. My DD has just turned one, so i don't have many useful toddler tips yet, but will definitely add mine when i get some. These tips are great!

[krysalyss]

Sneakysparkle - I love the 5 finger idea! That is awesome!

[aimz78]

me too, it cracks me up

[Kristin27]

Such a great thread idea. My DD is 10mths old so I don't have any tips but will be watching!

[Lulu]

Wow! These are awesome!

My main tip is boring old consistency. Usually when it comes to reacting to negative behaviours. I react in the same way every single time. If I say he will lose a toy he does. If I say 10 mins timeout, it's 10 minutes.
I do my level best not to raise my voice when tantrums get to fever pitch, it calms them down

[Kazbah]

Tanties, I just ignore (if safe to do so - tanties in a shopping centre, sure, but in a carpark? Nope).

And follow through on promises - if I don't give him his promised "mummy time" there'll be a tanty, so I recognise the signs and don't let him get to tanties.

Going to bed early / consistantly and naptime is also good, saves a lot of hassel.

[Ozstar]

Awesome thread, I will be trying lots of these ideas. Will have to come back when I think of some of my own (I have pg brain)

[fionas]

I'm subscribing to this thread because I need all the ideas I can get at the moment LOL!

[AliBaby]

me too!

[Ozziehoffy]

Good idea Krys!!

When it's time for sleep we go to "check" on his friends who are in bed... Larry, Hugo, Banana etc...lol. He usually goes no sleep, no sleep... so we say it's ok let's go and check on .... works for now

We do the choices thing and ignore the "safe" tanties too.

Choose the battles. If something isn't safe then battle, if it's safe but we don't want him doing it, it will really depend on how many battles we've had already if that makes sense??

[oopsadaisy]

I love this thread. My bub is only 6mths so i don't have any ideas yet, but i am keen to jot down what works for others.
Cheers
Angie

[Nadine216]

GREAT ideas ... love them all

DD takes her meds very good, but if she says no, it means NO. So what I do is I pull it up in a syringe, then make a small drop on the back of her hand and then in a funny way I lick it off, with tickels and much drama. I repeat that on her tummy, her knees ect and then inbetween I just say: "Quick suck it out ... here comes mommy" and usually that works like a charm. And I have my dose of Panadol - or I give meds in the bath tub - or give her the syringe herself (not always that successfull)

OMG don't judge ... if she made a poop and keeps running away from me, I always tell her that she can look at it Works EVERYTIME!! Don't you just lurve poopy-conversations????

Can't think of anything else atm

[Nadine216]

I was at a "Baby" function over the weekend and were taking to one of the moms about cooking with a todler ... don't we all know what that means

She said that she can usually keep hers busy with a turned over colliander and some dry spagetti. You show him how to put the spagetti through the holes and bob's your uncle.

I tried it with dd and it kept her out of my hair long enough for me to get my dinner done. She had a lot of fun turning it upside down and stirring the spagetti (gave her a wooden spoon too) AND trying to get the spagetti through the holes!

[alicia]

I LOVE the posting spaghetti idea! I am definately going to try that with my DD, she loves posting things.

The one thing I am really glad I have taught DD is the word 'shut'. When she is into something she shouldn't be (drawers, cupboards, etc...) I say 'shut' and she shuts the door and then we clap her. She loves doing it and actually followed me around the other morning shutting all the kitchen drawers as I tried to put all the dishes away.

[Jodi]

If Nina doesn't want to have a bath or shower, we ask her if dolly needs a bath, and it gets her in there everytime. She loves bathing her dolly's, drying them, putting on their pj's and putting to them bed.
It sounds like dolly's and teddy's are always the winner's, lol.

Great thread idea.