Having established her absolute right to decide what she's wearing that day, a typical attempt to dress 3 year old DD goes as follows:
Me (jolly and jovial tone): Can you put your shorts on now, and then we'll have breakfast.
DD: Silence
Me Do you want to put your socks on first or your shorts?
DD: Mummy, look how I'm balancing my teddy
Me: That's lovely, darling, he's standing up very well. Anyway, let's see how quickly you can put your shorts on
DD: Oooh, Teddy's fallen off!
Me: Here he is, darling. Now, show Teddy how you can put your shorts on. Or perhaps socks first?
DD: He's balancing again, Mummy!
Me: Why don't we have a race? See if you can get dressed before I dry my hair?
DD: No, don't want a race.
Me: (jollity somewhat forced by this stage) We're going to be late; the quicker you get dressed, the quicker we can have breakfast.
DD: Ignores me
Me: DD, get dressed now! We're going to be late!
(Repeat all above ad nauseum)
Me: See if you can do it before the time that I count to ten!
DD: (shouts) No, I don't want to do it! (Stamping and hitting optional) Made to apologise. I speak quietly, and don't shout back.
Me: (firmly) DD, this is your last chance; get dressed now please.
Me: (very firmly) Right young lady, you won't be able to do xxxxxxx if you don't get ready this minute; Mummy is going to be late for work!
DD: No, I won't do it! You do it! (Cue blotchy face and tantrum, descent into chaos / horrible morning madness etc etc)
Please tell me what I could do better / where I'm going wrong. Some days she's sweetness and light, and she is perfectly capable physically of getting dressed by herself, but am I expecting too much of her to do it every morning? She is 3.6.
Thanks
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Please critique my tactics with a 3 year old - all help gratefully received...
18 replies
VenetiaLanyon · 01/08/2011 10:27
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zzzzz ·
01/08/2011 12:59
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