How do you get a 3 yo to listen??

[amyandjess2811]

I know this is nearly an impossible question to answer but how do you get a 3yo to listen? Eg I call my dd and nothing not even a eye lid flicker (she is 3foot ahead of me) the TV isn't on or there is nothing to distract her she just wont listen! Its like that old quote where you are standing in a crowded room and screaming at the top of your lungs and no-one looks up! I have even gone as far as having her hearing tested and its fine lol I know this is probably normal but I just need to know Im not alone!

Ask her if she wants chocolate (although you do have to be prepared to give chocolate) when you've got her attention with the chocolate (or whatever) then you can say what you want. It is so frustrating, I know. They seem to be selectively deaf until they reach adulthood I think.

Anyway, someone will probably have a better solution, but that one works for me.

yes, I was going to say insert the word "chocolate" after every sentence!

Seriously though, you could try something like this - say whatever it is once, then if she doesn't respond walk away, completely ignore her etc. Like "Please come to the table your lunch is ready" you remove lunch from table and leave the room. When she asks where her lunch went say that since she didn't listen you assumed she didn't want any.

Another tactic would be to try making direct eye contact every time you speak to her for a while and see if that makes any difference.

I agree with sugar, get right in front of her and look her in the eye. It's very difficult not to hear someone who is in your face!

My ds always liked role playing, and would 'hear' me more if I played along and said "Darth Vader, your lunch is on the table" or whatever....does your dd ever do that?

As you say though this is very normal for this age group, not that it makes it any easier to bear

I read somewhere that you change the tone of your voice, so that it sounds different. If dd ignores me (and she's 5 so should know better!) I first say it again, then I lower my voice, and that usually works. If it doesn't I then clap, and say it again, and then I start counting....1....2....3....4....she knows that if she hasn't done whatever it is by the time I get to 5 there will be

TROUBLE!

I think at this age it works much better if you get down on the same level as your child, and make direct eye contact, and make sure you have that before you start telling them something. I've often found that my ds listens to me much better than to dh, because I will make sure I have his attention first, before telling him something, whereas dh will speak to him from the other side of the room, and if ds is engrossed in playing with something, it just doesn't register.

agree, I think an awful lot of communication with kids is done from other rooms! No good shouting from the kitchen for your child to come...if they are engrossed, or sitting thinking, it just won't penetrate...not at this age, anyway....