My 3 year old and I are locked in a battle, who will crack first? (lighthearted)

[PinkStripedLeggings]

She won't tidy her toys until I make her a cup of tea

I won't make her a cup of tea until she tidies her toys as I know she still won't tidy her toys if I make them.

There isn't many toys to put away; a book, a doll and some cars.

This has been going on since Nursery finished at lunchtime. I occasionally get asked "you make me cup of tea now?" I say not until toys are away, she says no, and goes back to sitting on the sofa with the cat....

Who will crack first?

If I was a betting kind of woman I'd put a fiver on you cracking before the 3 year old does. At that age they have superhuman strength at being stubborn.

DS8 used to be the most stubborn child in the universe and one day aged around 3 he spent 37 minutes crying because his shoe was on his foot and he wanted it off, but refused to allow me to help and wouldn't do it himself. 37 whole minutes. They are a world of madness.

Sorry but I agree with Fudge, you will crack first there is no determination like a 3 year old who wants to be right and win!

Of course you will crack first.

Hilarious that a 3 year old drinks tea! And of course she will win.

Sorry but I'd be getting prepared to save face on this one. What's your B plan?

Just make her the cup of tea & put the toys away while she drinks it... there will be bigger hills to die on OP she will be a teenager one day

Put the kettle on. See if that spurs her into action.

You see the thing is that between asking for her tea, she’s not even thinking of the battle. She’s thinking ‘oh that fluff looks good as a hat’ and ‘the cats tummy is squishy when I poke it’ so she can keep that up all day long.

You have to step it up and keep what she wants at the fore of her mind. Make yourself tea and drink it slowly in front of her.

Yup put the kettle on.

Then make yourself a cuppa and let her see you drinking it.

Cross post LOL

Three year later lad have so much energy for tenacity.
Make yourself a cup and REALLY enjoy it.

She’ll win.

You see while you’re sitting stewing over it and steadying your resolve, she’s forgotten about the whole thing until the next time she fancies a cup of tea. Be more 3, OP, that’s how you win these things

XPOST happyspud!

Laughing at some of these suggestions

I used to go for 'would you like me to help you with the toys and then you can help me make the tea'? Negotiation and cooperation instead of battling used to keep me sane and demonstrated a way forward with everybody winning. Because, yeah, she'll win otherwise 😂

She has decaf for anyone horrified by a 3 year old having tea!

I’m with the ‘put the kettle on’ crowd. I’d tell her I’m mskung myself a cup of tea and if she’s put her toys away I’ll make her one too.

Cracking me up though that she asks for a cup of tea 🤣 how does she like it?

Sorry OP you need an exit strategy

Happyspud do I detect the voice of extensive experience? You certainly have toddler game face going on!

Sorry OP your going to lose!! Moneys on the toddler on this one.

IncrediblySadToo Milky no sugar

She's just deliberately hit herself and is pretending to cry, says tea will make it better

She's just deliberately hit herself and is pretending to cry, says tea will make it better

Learn from her.

Pretend to trip over one of her toys and cry, say that mummy is hurt and the toys are being naughty can you put them in the box of shame (aka the toy box).