4yr old, refusing to do anything asked.

[worldpeacexx]

I'm very stressed after a 40 minute walk home which should take five minutes. My ds just sits on the floor or I need to drag him, I have tried all different ways to get him to follow me or hold my hand, it is so embarrassing people are commenting or giving me looks.

He is being naughty at home too, but I have been sending him to his room till he behaves and this is working a little bit.

I'm also 5 months pregnant so I need to do something about this journey home from pre-school before I cant' handle it any more.

Any advise please?/

take the pushchair and put him in that if he won't walk. If you have the energy use distraction - how many steps do you think it will take to get to the end of the road etc shall we check? Can you hop 20 times? Count the number of red cars parked along the road etc Bring a scooter? or would he whizz too far ahead?
If we hurry home we will be in time to watch... that kind of thing.
One of my kids used to do this when that age and i used to often end up carrying her on my back - I know you can't while pregnant - but the distraction technique did often work if I could think of enough things and kept my cool.

Good luck - it is frustrating especially when pregnant.

Does he have a scooter? My dd has just turned four and we have the same 5min/40min journey that you describe.Since Ive started picking her up with her new scooter we get home early and she knows if she messes about the scooter wont be waiting for her.

Stickers. buy a sheet or two of his favourite character/things. When he walks home nicely he gets a sticker to put on his chart/book. Build it up on the way home - "which sticker do you think you will choose today" or "what colour sticker do you like best." If he mis-behaves give one warning - "you wont be able to choose a sticker if you don't walk properly and hold my hand" then ignore anymore bad behaviour but don't give a sticker when you get in reminding him that he only gets one if he is good. You could also say that he can show them to Granny/Teacher etc when he has ten. Works for me.

Thanks, I will try some of these ideas and try to stop making it a battle of wills lol.

We play red light, green light and other games. Failing that I remind him that he will not get his tv time when we get home if he does not walk properly. :)

We have set points we look for, ducks in one garden, fat cat who sleeps in a tree, pretty roses in another garden, school hedge. Having things to look for and stop and look at makes the walk faster.

We have just started a sticker reward system. 1 sticker for good behaviour above and beyond normal family stuff gets a sticker, 10 stickers gets a paper play pound which they can save up for a new toy.

I'd try a sticker chart and if he still refuses plonk him in a buggy and push him home.