My 4 yr old has started to ignore me!!!

[milosmum]

May sound like an everyday problem but it really irritates me . When i tell him what to do he looks the other way on purpose and just ignores me!We have very few rules in my house- one being i do not repeat myself a third time but i could ask him to do something a hundred times in 5 different langagues and he would still ignore me. i know hes just testing me but im at a complete loss! HELP!

[LGJ]

You got to four, you lucky girl My DS had this raised to an art form by 3.

I generally say in a very quite voice I know you can hear me, so look at me now. The now having just a hint of menace

Doesn't always work, but it helps with the times when it doesn't IYKWIM

[joash]

Hi milosmum - wouldn't worry too much. GS does this already, if he's feeling that way out and he's only 2 (and 3 months).

[KarenThirl]

Try incentives. If he ignores you when you want something, then you ignore him when he wants something from you. If he asks you for a biscuit from the cupboard or a toy from a high shelf, start humming and carry on as if he isn't there. See how long it takes to get the message. If nothing else it'll open up a discussion on the consequences of ignoring people.

Or tell him you just offered him some chocolate cake but he didn't hear you because he was ignoring you!

[milosmum]

thanks for the advise . i suppose it is normal behviour for a small child but how annoying is it! before now hes really had to try hard to push the right buttons but hes found the right one without even trying!!!!i started to try the incentives and so far hes a little better but has now developed the "posh spice" pout (very funny to look at!).i have to say up until now hes been a pretty good little man but AAAAARRRRGGGGHHH its infuriating!

[scoot]

fustrating I know. try saying something funny that will make him giggle. that way he aknowledges you and it breaks the ice and lightens the mood, then you can try to get him to do it again. works for me!

[jangly]

We say "Right! one, two three!" and if he doesn't do it by three, its the naughty stair. He hates the naughty stair! Don't think you should just accept it as the norm - it'll get worse.

[vwvic]

Agree with whats already been said. I ask once nicely, tell dd if she doesn't do the thing she will be timed out (naughty stair), the time out if need be. Alternatively, I start to count down from 5. She faces the consequences if I get to zero. Not sure what those would be though- miraculously I've never actually got there!
When I counted up to three, she thought it was a huge game, as at nursery they start everything off by counting to three, as in 1,2,3 GO!