3 year olds

[springseason22]

Just that! 3 year olds!

Asking for your best tips and tricks for getting around the defiant 3 year old?

My DD now 3.2 wont wash her hands when asked..no surprises! But any tips on how to get them to do something that you really need them to do. Her hands were filthy from a morning in the garden.

I'm getting a lot of "no mummy" suddenly. Feels like only a few weeks ago she was happy to do things I "encouraged" her to do like wash her hands...

Any help much appreciated.

I'm following...as mine has turned defiant too the moment he learned to say 'no' when he turned 3 i think.... so now 3+7 still going strong commanding and no to everything
Has stopped eating too! And doesnt wanna get changed or brush teeth or wash hands or anything at all

Have found that watching videos(cartoons) and books about those kinda subjects help, but not for long... soon forgotten and back to 'no'

They're just testing i guess, found the new power of no. :) its draining.....

@Somerandomgirl it is so draining!

Hoping someone who has come out the other end of this current phase can help!

How much do you put boundaries and how? Some advice I was given was pick your battles but if they are actively being naughty when's that?

Nothing works here 🤣
Just makes ME feel horrible at the end of those 'battles'... cause always taking stuff, forbidding things, sending him away, you know what i mean... getting mad ,shouting etc... when u look at him - cute little creature and you're there fuming at it

My DD certainly has opinions, I try and use humour and not make it into a fight because it's just not worth it - she just ends up in tears and I feel like a totally sh*t Mummy so I thought there has got to be a better way to do this.

I try to keep it light hearted so for example she's really not happy going or even trying for a wee wee before bed at the moment so tonight we all hopped to the bathroom like bunnies which she was happy to do and my DH flew her and her plate to the dishwasher this evening. It's tough though and it's a real test of patience and believe me there are times when I want to scream.

I can recommend 'How to talk so little kids listen' and Sarah Ockwell Smith's 'Gentle Parenting'.

@Mattieandmummy excellent advice!

Have been using humour and keeping a sense of ...and it's paid off a bit.

Also a friend who has three under 6 have me some great advice too...say "I'm going to brush my teeth" head off and do so and surprise surprise they want to know what mummy is doing. Doesn't always work but it did for me in a few bedtime occasions.

Also feels like we have gone back to being saying no less now! Was it a week of no's?

Oh three year olds.

It’s a difficult age. Sympathies. We found How to Talk so little kids will listen to have some great ideas and techniques that helped... a bit