To wonder why counting to five has magical powers

[Dinobab]

Over my usually very stubborn 2 year old?
What do they think will happen when you get to 5?
Threats of time out get laughed at, threats to take toys away gets the toys chucked at me but have recently discovered a threat of "I'll count to five then you had better get out the kitchen/ stop trying to jump off the sofa/ let me change you're nappy" usually gets him to behave magically by about 4
What kind of magically voodoo is this? Why have I only just discovered it?
Will it stops working once he realises I can't cually do much after counting to 5

reminded me of this

My DS is rather literal minded and when a teacher said "you don't want to find out what happens when I get to three" he said "yes I do!" I didn't lol where DS could hear me, honest! But I always made sure there was a small but sensible consequence if we ever did get to three - no empty threats for me.

Also that meant I never needed to get into slowing the count or adding two-and-a-halfs. If I thought he really needed longer I'd tell him I'd count to 5 or 10 instead.

My 5yo still doesn't know what happens when I get to three...

My 2yo doesn't give a fuck and is too busy throwing objects at the TV to listen to counting

I counted to 5 the other day. I even stopped off at 4 1/4, 4 1/2, 4 3/4. What happened when I got to 5? DS (nearly 2) counted 5, 6, 7, 8 quickly and then continued with whatever it was he was meant to be stopping .

I also count down from 5 with my children. I have no idea what the magic is with it but as soon as I start counting my youngest 2 dcs 9 and 6 go into a blind panic and immediately do what I have asked them.
I have never told them what happens when I get to 0 and they have never asked.
To be truthful even I don't know what would happen if I got to 0 but I'm not telling them that

I count to 5. Ds1 always waits until 4 before he acts, but I never have to get to 5. Ds2 on the other hand doesn't give a shit and continues to scream, throw and whatever else. Must try counting down from 5 for him and see if magic happens it won't

Oh blimey. DS1 happily lets it get to 5 just to find out what will happen. He's quite obstreperous though.

Teachers tend to count down. Otherwise it could end up "259....260....I'm still waiting..."

I count to 3 and 90% of the time it works but it only works IF I am prepared to physically remove/move DS or the forbidden object/thrown object. The other 10% I have to e.g. pick him up off the steps he's not supposed to be climbing. (Time out doesn't work for us).

So I'm assuming it works for us the 90% of the time because of the 10%.

Mine was also 3 But I guess I had a shorter fuse where things like this were supposed to be the rule. I got into counting for a bit then decided to warn my child once, then give it twice and 3 times he was out.

I just have to say 'Don't make me start counting' and Dd (5) freaks out. It's complete magic!

I never slow it down or count in halves though - if she needs longer I'll count to five or ten.