3 year old tantrums in morning

[dangalf]

Our 3 1/2 year old is prone to occasional tantrums and battles of will - especially in the morning when we are trying to get out to nursery. We'll ask/tell her to come upstairs to get dressed (as an example) and she will refuse and then throw a tantrum. It is difficult to go for the time out tactics here due to time constraints - any other recommendations for dealing with this behaviour?

I take a choice of 2 outfits down to her, let her choose and just put them on her. No reason why she has to go upstairs to get dressed is there? Pick your battles, give her a bit of choice so she feels in charge and make minimal fuss.

I do the same as domesticgoddess re he choice of 2 outfits, except we get dressed as soon as we wake up before going downstairs, saves a bit of time in the morning

Have you tried turning it into a game 'beat daddy to get dressed', or if you get ready without a fuss, you can do x. We find these things go in waves, we'll have a few good weeks then a week where we get continual foot dragging. Assume you're confident she likes her nursery and there's nothing going on like a particular child is hitting her etc? I ask because these things have been underlying issues with my dd.

Gen35 - sure there's no problems at nursery, she's very happy there. Much like you it tends to go well for a while and then we'll have a bad week. This has been a bad week where all our usual tricks have failed.

Will see if bringing choice of outfits downstairs works Domestic& ceeveebee - ta.

It sucks - I hope the outfit choice works! My dd is 4 now and she chooses her entire outfit, we now have tantrums over her wanting to wear inappropriate shoes (sandals in winter, party shoes for nursery etc)!

We make DD choose before she goes to bed at night and gave a rule that she has to be dressed before going downstairs. Works 80% of the time.

We always get dressed before coming downstairs - it's set in stone and makes mornings run more smoothly. My 3 year old has absolutely full control over choosing his clothes (everything is in baskets in his cupboard) and this motivates him as he likes choosing everything - Spiderman Pants or Lightning McQueen? Red socks or stripey? Hejust gets on and dresses himself (with a running commentary on the ppictures on pants/ t-shirt and which friend he thinks will like his choice...) :)

I am naturally a bit averse to strict routine, but 6th am Monday to Friday our house runs on automatic and identically every day, and has to with 3 kids, 2 of whom need to be on the school bus at 7 am.