Listening

Here for the replies…..we have the exact same thing in our house 😬😅

Stop repeating. Make the request once and then implement a consequence-can be small after the initial request. You can still gentle parent and have boundaries. Helps them to understand that every choice has a consequence. It’s working over here-not every time but consistency is key.

We play a game of turning the ears on when ours don't listen. 'hello??? Are these on...beep beep' etc. while pretending to turn them on. It works a lot of the time. Anything that involves mummy's excited voice and playful tones 'normal' works ...but they're 3!!

@ALI I feel like this is easier said than done. I’m in a similar situation now with being ignored by my daughter and then getting frustrated and shouting. She then gets upset or sometimes cries. I feel so bad afterwards but nothing else seems to work. When I tell her to put her shoes on 5/6/7 times and she doesn’t do it, there’s not much consequences I can implement. I don’t have time to wait half an hour for her to put the shoes on when we have to leave at certain time. I never rush her and I give us plenty of extra time to make sure she can get ready in her own time but not doing it at all, ignoring me or running away is just different. What consequences would you recommend as I’m running out of ideas. I tried asking nicely, explaining why she needs to do it, using a firm voice, using a nice or funny noice, making it into a game, telling her I’m leaving without her, telling her we’re not going at all, just simply waiting. So many different things good and bad and nothing works

Same, mine don't listen they do abit more to me than their dad or I have a bit more patience but they definitely don't listen, even if they have heard me and I get a response it's usually them running in a different direction to what I want them to do.

I read somewhere a technique called one two three you or me, where you say for example - I’m going to count to three you choose either you stop doing that or I will take it away or either you put your coat on or I will put it on you. 9 times out of 10 my son chooses the option where he’s in control. And it beats the empty threat of counting then nothing changes or you get two two, then two and a half then two and three quarters…..

@Sarah this is a brilliant idea I will be trying this

@Sarah this sounds interesting. I’ll try it with my daughter next time xx

@Paulina it is easier said than done. Parenting is hard af lol Being in control of your emotions is so hard when you get frustrated but I remind myself that I have to show my children how I want them to respond. Again, moving past telling them 5/6/7 times so that you aren’t getting to that point of frustration and they aren’t getting to the point of not listening. Child, it’s time to go. Let’s put on our shoes. Would you like to do it together or would you like to try on your own? Child ignores. Child, we are we going to remove the distraction of X so we can put on your shoes. It sounds like you are doing the right things but consistency is key. Children are learning and developing so it may not work the first time or the 16th time but you gotta keep at it. Especially keeping your cool.