Bossy toddlers!

[atrcts]

My 3.5 year old has become extremely bossy. We thought he might just grow out of it (another delightful stage and all that!) but it's getting worse, not better.

So we've decided to tackle it. One of the issues we have is when he yells and he has adult sized lung volumes! every time husband and I try to talk. About anything. Our loud little toddler shouts "Mummy, STOP talking to Daddy", repeatedly.
This makes it impossible to think straight much less hold a conversation.

We have told him off, sent him out of the room, asked him to say "excuse me" and then wait for his turn. All of which has not worked. (when told off he yells over us speaking, when sent out he returns pronto or screams his message from the other room, and when 'waiting for his turn' stands and shouts "excuse me excuse me excuse me" at the top of his lungs until we give up talking

So I was wondering what everyone else does to best manage their noisy overly bossy three year olds?!!!! as I'm running out of inspiration

Hi..
I have also a 3 and half year old.. she is a very loud and destructive girl I too thought she would grow out of it.. however time was passing and it got worse.
have you tried the naughty step or naughty spot.. I sat and explained whilst she was shouting 'no' but I kept repeating myself. persistence is key. it took about honestly - 18 days but luckily enough she has calmed down so much.. like a new little girl now.
Hope this helps.

X

I followed your advice and removed him from the kitchen today when he started yelling for us to stop talking. As soon as finished the conversation I went to him so he could have his turn. He hasn't done it since tonight!

Have you tried pausing the conversation, acknowledging his feelings with gusto - " you want to talk too, you don't want us to have an adult conversation, you feel left out etc". Then explaining that you will have a x amount of time conversation (and stick to it plus start small eg. 1min) then you will do something he likes with him. During the this time, make it all and him and praise him for waiting while you talked. This positive feedback and attention will encourage the behaviours that you want and he will not feel so powerless if he know that his communication and feelings have been understood and acknowledged and a timeline set. Good luck.

I've tried the repeating their request while mirroring their tone and volume, something I heard about ages ago to do with speaking a toddlers language in a way they'll understand! But that didn't work for longer than 10 seconds.

However your idea of deliberately talking for a very short time followed by huge reward is an idea I haven't tried. Possibly because I usually have an urgent matter to discuss and limited time to finish the conversation! But I could try that in between the important stuff as a training tool

Haha re training sessions. I guess that's what we do really, mini life training programmes!