How to deal with sisterly silliness?

[cheapandcheerful]

Hi all,

I have two dds who are 4yo and 2yo. Six months ago they squabbled quite a lot but something has suddenly changed and they are like the best of friends! So I am definitely counting my blessings and thankful that the bickering and fighting seems to have run its course.

However, they are often VERY silly and I have no idea how to handle it! It is lovely, and I have very fond memories of sharing similar times with my own sister, but sometimes it just gets out of hand. Often it is when we are out-and-about and they are loud, disruptive, disrespectful (saying things like "poo poo Daddy") and I personally find it very difficult to concentrate on anything else when they are doing it. And by the time I want them to start calming down, they have whipped themselves into such a hysterical frenzy that they find it difficult to stop.

I don't want to be a complete party-pooper...I want them to have a laugh and a giggle but am unsure how to teach them appropriate limits.

Any advice?

No idea sorry, my two dc are still at the squabbling stage .

Hopefully someone will be along soon.

I think telling them off will make them bond more, so I wouldn't view it as a bad thing necessarily.

One of mine does, "poo poo daddy," too - he is four and gets into it with his friend. It's my experience that (a) telling off makes it a total success in their eyes; (b) asking them to go elsewhere also alerts them to how very annoying you find it; (c) ignoring can work but you have to truly behave like you haven't noticed and are more interested in other things - if you seem like you are determinedly ignoring it because it's so very annoying, again they are chalking it up to success. With mine I can only successfully intervene IF I have already set up a strategy with him before it arises. So if his friend is coming round I've said he has to go to the bedroom, ie, away from me to say that, if we're on public transport, we have a small voices rule, if we're at the park it has to be away from others type thing. They usually "forget" but will respond to reminders about the rule.

Having words about acceptable behaviours in given circumstances is pretty successful in our house; reactive telling-offs less so. And compromises - you can do that, just not here/ more quietly are usually successful - we have certain games/ toys which aren't acceptable in the living area and they do stick to it - particularly the four year old who is a bit into rules as a concept.

Encourage the older one to 'teach' things to the younger one, read to her or tell stories. Give her some responsibility, emphasising how much older she is, and knows more about everything.

Mine are 7 and 4 and do this CONSTANTLY. I am watching with interest...

I am still EXTREMELY silly with my sister. She is 30 and I am 32.

Thankfully we have emerged from the public "poo poo Daddy" phase. Not sure when that happened though....

So no advice, but it does make for a fantastic sisterhood!