3 year olds and reverse psychology - stories please!

[Barmymummy]

My DS aged 3 (4 in June) is majorly into reverse psychology at the moment and some of it is very funny but other times its soooo frustrating!

Thought I'd share some of the stories and would welcome others so we can have a giggle to keep me sane lol! Or maybe its just mine

Ok, EVERY morning/night we have an issue about getting dressed/undressed. So one day as a laugh I said "bet you can't get undressed!". Immediately he is saying OH YES I CAN!! Gets undressed no problem which ends in me looking genuinely amazed! He loves this and thinks its hysterical so as you can guess now I have to go through this 'amazement' every time

Today we went to a place where there is a ride on train, he loves trains bless him. He says "Can we go on the train pleeeeease?" I say "yes of course!", he says "NO I DON'T WANT TO!" We reply with "OK, we will go some where else then. His reply "NO NO MUMMY I WANT TO GO ON THE TRAIN!"

We go to walk up a bridge and he says "I don't walk to walk up the bridge!" So I say "ok, I'll carry you up". "NO I WANT TO WALK!" OK, walk then. "NO CARRY ME!" DH gets a bit irritated as a queue is now forming so he carries him up anyway. DS gets at the bottom and yells "I WANTED TO WALK" and tries to go back to the bridge!! We walk away and he comes running like a little lost sheep!

Lunch - "Here's your lunch", "I'm not hungry", "OK I'll put it back" "NO!!! I WANT IT!" ETC ETC ETC ETC

ARRRRRRGH!! Honestly!! KIDS!!!

Sounds familiar - ds four yesterday!

Seems to be wearing off a bit - more open to reasoning - but have, in the past agreed that he doesn't have to wear his coat - although he will get cold - and that if he takes his shoes off he will be walking into the house in bare feet (I have carried both of these out too, so he knows that I will follow through!)

Now that has depressed me. This is exactly what ds (2.8) does and I have been telling myself it will be a short phase...

The first story (Barmymummy)could be about my daughter! She's 3 and a half in May and we have the same problems. Any advice how to deal with it as by 7pm it gets a bit tiresome!!

Any hints gratefully received before i get anymore grey hairs!

i hate to be the bearer of bad news but my DS1 in now 5 and STILL does this
it can be really frustrating trying to get him ready for nursery while chasing my half naked DS2 around the living room. DS1 insists he is big enough to dress himself but spends more time asking "is this the right way" that i end up throwing his clothes on him only to have him protest "i wanted to do it" aaaaaaaarrrrgggghhhhh
Our house goes like a fair most mornings trying to get both of them up washed fed and dressed and out the door before 8:30am despite DS2 being up (and me) from about 5:30am

Another one here who is in the same boat!!

Barmymummy - I could have written your OP word for word!! My DS is 3 (4 in August)

HE IS DRIVING ME MAD!!

Am telling myself it will pass

Sorry to bear bad news but I see this a lot still in my ds age 6. I think he is just a real fighter who wants to rule the world.

e.g. today, on my producing money from granny to buy an easter egg (normally he will do anything for chocolate), he responds "Noooooo!!!!!! I want to buy a toy!"

tbh I see always wanting the opposite as another way of pushing the boundaries.

Barmymummy, will your ds make choices? If I give my ds a choice of, say, either jam or peanut butter on his toast, he will look at me with a glint in his eye and tell me he wants chocolate spread. Always the third option.

Glad I am not alone!

Yes KTNoo he can make choices but like you there is usually a 3rd choice! EG "Do you want to wear jeans or tracksuit trousers?" Reply: "Sporticus clothes please!" Is not unusual to see Sporticus scooting to drop DD off at school lately

Can't believe this could last til 6 nooooooooooooo!!!!!!

I think ds would choose the 3rd option - but there is never a 3rd option. Its fine if I've said 'what do you want to drink?', however, if I've offered juice or water, milk is not an option! He does try it, but we've decided that if we go down that route we'll be led a merry dance!!!!

So, on getting dressed in the morning, offer the choice of two Tshirts - one or the other - then given time limit to choose, then choice imposed if he's not made his mind up. Getting dressed - if we get 'no, I want to do it' I say 'fine - you do it, but we're leaving in 5 mins, if you're not dressed by then we're going as you are....' One of these days I will turn up with him only dressed in his pants - but then his friends will get a good laugh! With ds its absolutely essential that both parents follow the same reasoning, and that we're both prepared to follow through.

my ds2 is just like this.

But I play the game better!

'tis the only way I think.