simon says for 3 year old strops

[hatstand]

just thought I'd share this as it realy seems to work. DD2 is a strop meister supreme - when she's in eth srtop zone tehre is no way to get her out of it, except - I have recently discovered - a round of Simon says style instructions. (I actually don;t bother with the Simon says bit coz I expect her to do it all and it's not a game). I tell her to sit down, stand up, touch her nose, touch her knees etc etc. I sound quite strict and if she doesn't do it I just say "right I'm going back to the kitchen then" (sadly, it usually is the kitchen). and so she does it. when she's done enough and has calmed down I get her to sit down, put her hands on her knees and then say "sorry". In one sense it might be giving her the attention she wants - but she only gets the attention if she does as she's told. the minute she stops complying I walk away. It's my most succesful strategy yet. I have no idea where I got the idea from, but it calms me down too, sometimes I have to fight not to smile abuot it all

Interesting idea hatstand, thanks.

We do Simon says if ds starts scratching his skin. We make him put his hands on his head and then on his toes and then clap his hands.

I think anything you can do to break out of the cycle without losing face is a plus.

Ds gets taken to his room to "make a home" when he loses it. He lies in bed with the duvet wrapped around his head. If he feels he is going to get upset he says "I need to go to my room and make a home". He comes out himself when he feels better, which I think works better than me telling him when he can come out.