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Behaviour/development

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2.6 year old won't 'let' Dad do teeth etc

6 replies

NiceCupOfTeaAndASitDown · 03/08/2013 19:08

I think he sees me as doing the 'boring' stuff and DH as the 'fun' one but it's starting to get ridiculous now..tonight he's gone to bed without a story (regrettably but he spent so much time having a tantrum that we ran out of time and DD was begging for bed too) - I understand that a lot of it at this age is testing boundaries and asserting independence but we're both fed up with it and can't seem to find a solution.

for the last few months he's only 'let' me change his nappy, get him dressed, stuff like that. I mean he's not exactly keeping still for me but is more co-operative during nappy changes at least, for DH to be able to do them he would have to literally pin him down and prise his legs apart and obviously neither of us are prepared to do that. now it's cleaning teeth as well, tonight he's had both hands in his mouth to stop DH getting the toothbrush in so we've 'given in' in the end and I did it. he's not exactly sweetness and light with me either, he swallows the toothpaste when I ask him to spit etc but we get the job done with a silly song and a visual chart has been working really well.

I just hate having power struggles with a two year old, he's never got his own way with a tantrum before so it's not like he thinks we'll change our minds. the thing is I don't think he's being purposely difficult, he looks terrified Sad

I don't think he's ready for potty training or cleaning his own teeth yet but he's starting to do what he can on his own in terms of getting dressed and undressed. we've explained sometimes it'll be me cleaning his teeth and sometimes Dad but he kicks off whenever DH tries to do it, sometimes he'll just say 'time for teeth' or make a move to the bathroom and he'll start screaming - I think it's some kind of anxiety but what do we do?

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NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 03/08/2013 19:37

I would get myself out of the house for an hour at bedtime if I were you...mine did this...my older one that is and it was a nightmare as I ended up doing ALL bedtimes alone as it was just quicker. But it's sould destroying every night.

Or just take turns....you one night and DH the next...on DHs night, you should "dissapear" for an hour....at least for a week or so. DS will soon realise the lie of the land.

Dackyduddles · 03/08/2013 19:41

Dd is similar. However I can testify that it's getting easier. Was a fecking nightmare before Xmas. Now it's tolerable. I think by five we will have cracked it. Wish I was joking but at least I can say an improvement can be seen. You have to have a routine that is easily interchangeable and never ever changes. Repetition seems key.

Dackyduddles · 03/08/2013 19:42

Agree if you don't want to have to jump in you cannot be in the house. If mum is in a five mile radius mum HAS to do it.

gallicgirl · 03/08/2013 19:46

We have same issue with DD same age but she won't let me or DP clean her teeth and just sucks the toothpaste off the brush when she does it herself.
We did quite well with reward stickers for a while but it wasn't plain sailing by any means. That desire has now ceased so we back to the nightly wrestling matches.

NiceCupOfTeaAndASitDown · 04/08/2013 13:59

no way of not being there, he won't settle for anyone but me and DD needs me to get to sleep too. it's no biggy putting him to bed, he's asleep in 10 minutes usually, just a right PITA before that Grin

DH and I have decided I will do nighttime teeth and he will keep trying in the mornings. because it's non-negotiable we don't want it to be a fight and I don't want him getting bad associations with it. he's just such a little dictator Wink

he also just sucks and chews the brush that's why I say he's not ready to do it by himself yet, his teeth would never be clean

OP posts:
NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 04/08/2013 14:30

"No way of not being there, he won't settle for anyone but me." And therein lies your trouble....he would settle and allow DH to do teeth eventually if you weren;'t there...do you imagine that if you disapeared, he'd NEVER sleep again? Of course not.

You just need to be consistent.

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