Ideas for dealing with a dawdling child......????

[fifitot]

My DD is 3 and is very cheeky and difficult at times. Tantrums I can cope with but every day I have to spend upto half an hour cajoling/threatening her to clean her teeth, get shoes on, move away from tv and get ready to go out. Sometimes she refuses to do it, or just drags her feet or runs away. Sometimes she gets into a tantrum.

She clearly takes pleasure in dawdling along and it is sooooooooooo frustrating especially when I am in a hurry.

Any ideas? I moved teethcleaning downstairs which helped for a while but she has started again now.

[Danthe4th]

Don't have the tv on until ready with teeth done etc. also at this age I always found it easier to get dressed before going down for breakfast. Tv is the worst distraction in the morning.I then make sure they are ready half hour before we have to be out of the door, they get to watch tv and I get to have breakfast in peace.

[McDreamy]

Def loose the tv, tv can go on if she gets ready and there is time. Amazing what you can get done with out distraction.

[peachygirl]

With DD1 (2.7) If she is faffing about - jumping on the bed when getting dressed, teeth cleaning etc I have been saying. 'OK mummy is going away now' and I leave her room and go and do my own thing ( ususally get dressed) it ususally works and within a few seconds she is ready to do what she is supposed to do.

Good advice from danethe4th but the only probelm with getting dressed before breakfast is the breakfast spilt down clean clothes

[fifitot]

Thanks. She is not bad at getting clothes on but it's the coat, shoes on and teeth cleaned that's the worst.

Good idea about teeth before telly though. if I do her teeth right after breakfast she can watch tv before we leave for nursery.

Also the leaving the room is good but she does call my bluff alot!

Will give that a try. Thankyou!