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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Saying "NO!"

12 replies

berrysmum · 03/07/2009 11:04

Does anyone have any advice for trying to stop a toddler saying "no" all the time? DD has just turned two and seems to be saying it a hundred times a day, even when sometimes she doesn't mean it. Have tried replying with a just as stubborn "yes" and have also tried asking her not to say it as it isn't very nice. I find it really embarrassing when we're out and all the old dears look at her as if to say "what a horrible child.....!" Is it just a phase, or is she turning into little miss attitude?!

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern · 03/07/2009 11:08

They all go through the no phase where even if it means cutting off their nose to spite their face they'll still say it.
It never occured to me to be bothered by it to be honest and like most behaviour at that age that often getting a reaction strings it out for longer.
Ignoring it makes it boring.

Overmydeadbody · 03/07/2009 11:11

It is a phase and it will pass.

Ignore ignore ignore.

Don't get embarassed, she will pick up on this and do it more. Toddlers like doing things that get a reaction.

Original poster

berrysmum · 03/07/2009 11:12

Good point. My eldest never went through that phase.....but having said that she was an unusually good toddler! I guess it's true that you never get two the same.....!

OP posts:

Supercherry · 03/07/2009 20:27

The 2yr olds favourite word is 'No' and the 3yr olds is 'Why?'. Perfectly normal developmental phase, so as soon as she grows out of this she will be questioning everything you say .

RuthChan · 03/07/2009 20:40

Yes,it is an inevitable phase and she will grow out of it. I managed to temporarily stop my DD doing it by answering NO to everything she said to me. She didn't like that very much.

WhoDidThat · 03/07/2009 20:45

Ignore it. Soon she will move on to saying "WHY" all the time, followed by "MU-UMMY to be replaced in turn by "POO" by which point you will wish that she just said "no".

Old dears love nothing more than to look down their noses at young children, so I wouldbn't worry about that either.

Bleatblurt · 03/07/2009 20:48

I loved this stage! I used to wind up DS1 (yes, I am evil ) a lot as when he'd gotten into a major NO! groove I'd start saying things like, "Do you want a biscuit/chocolate/chips/to go to the park," and you could see him hesitate and want to say yes but be totally unwilling to break his no stride.

Can't wait for DS3 to get to that stage. [evil]

Original poster

berrysmum · 03/07/2009 22:25

Thanks all, feel nicely reassured x

OP posts:

IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern · 03/07/2009 23:26

WhoDidThat my gosh you just described my dd.
She is 5 and we have just come out of the POO phase and unfortunately taken a step back to something we left MONTHS ago muuuummmmyyyy!!!!!!!!!!

meandjoe · 04/07/2009 12:42

Agree with eveyone else, they all do it. My ds is 23 months and his first word was no and even now it's his favourite word. He says 'no' to everything and like butterball I love it! lol. I asked him if he wanted a biscuit earlier and he still kept saying no, I could ask him if he wanted a million pound and a trip to Disney Land and he'd still say no. Two year olds are just negative little people! Can't wait for the why stage too!

thumbwitch · 04/07/2009 12:44

love the tactics, butterball!

RuthChan · 04/07/2009 20:07

Unfortunately, such tactics didn't work with my DD. She simply answered NO to everything, followed by a screaming tantrum if the answer resulted in her being deprived of something that she had actually wanted.

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