saying "no" and dilly dallying

[ILoveItWhenYouCallMeBoo]

ds(5) has started being quite cheeky and saying 'no' when told to behave. and when i ask him to do something, like change into his pyjamas or tidy his toys, he will sit silently until i ask him again and will only do it if i threaten to confiscate a toy. sometimes even then he refuses and i follow through with confiscation and he will throw a tantrum. i have started telling him, "i will only ask you once to change into your jammies. if you don't do it when i ask you will lose a toy/priviledge" but it doesn't work.

how can i get him to stop the 'no' answering back and to do as he is told without the constant warnings and threats?

My DD has started the same and shes only 2!
I swear she's turning into a teenager already!

However treatening to remove toys doesnt work... If I say Do you want me to take your dolls house away, she just says 'yeah' in a really nonchalant manner! Its most annoying!!
I do follow through with my treats but it doesnt seem to bother her - Grrr!

treats- threats! Its late.

when i threaten he does panic a bit and sayd "ok I'll get dressed" well, he doesn't say it as much as growl it throught gritted teeth, but then he sits back down again or starts doing something else. this is all while i am sitting on his bed with his clothes ready and waiting to go on him.

Was he really placid up till now then? It sounds like he's just caught the idea of "I'm a separate person and can express it by not doing things".

Does he really have to change into his jammies? Would it cause any real problem for him to sleep in his ordinary clothes? He might find it uncomfortable enough to work out why we have nice soft jammies after a couple of nights.

Pick your battles - focus on the times when something just has to happen, like getting out, and don't waste your ammunition/patience on the rest of it for a while.

no he has always been strong willed but usually i can reason with him. it wouldn't bother me him sleeping in his clothes but when it comes to getting into his uniform for school, i think the school might mind . i suppose i could just tell him i will take him in his pyjamas. that might shake him into changing!

Yep - take him in his pyjamas and throw the uniform into a bag to take with him. Betcha he'll be changed by the time you go to collect him! The threat might be enough, but do go through with it if it isn't - I doubt he'll do it often after that.

ooh, tuesday is going to be fun!!

There are many things you can do instead of loosing the a toy threat...

1. One thing you could try is "I have left your PJs on on the bed/sofa etc for you to get chaged into." This makes it a demand but not IYSWIM because when you ask somone can you do X Y Z then you can say yes or indead no.
2. Make it into a challange... use a egg timer and see if he can take off his top and trousers before the time runs out ect boys especially seem to love the competition.
3. Offer a choice What do you want to do 1st put on your PJs or clean your teath etc will give him a choice but keep you in controle HTH

thank you ihatethesnow.

for a while he was racing against his brother (i was dressing ds2 18 months) but he seems to be bored with that but i will try the other suggestions.