What can I try next?

[anotherbadnight]

ds is 4. He is generally really lovely, of course, but he's also quite a handful. These days, when he is naughty I put him on the naughty/ time out rug for four minutes.

It's completely ineffective. He always does the same, giggles, rolls about, gets off, blows raspberries at me etc. Not v useful. And really really really annoying.

I know he's testing his boundaries - he feels he has succeeded in getting what he was after if I get cross or raise my voice or whatever - it makes him laugh even more. He's the same with dh.

I have tried ignoring naughty behaviour, or explaining what he has done, I have tried bypassing the naughty step and taking away toys (but he just threatens to take away mine!), and I am careful to reward good behaviour all the time.

What can I try next?

I've realised that a bollocking is less effective when you shout. I'm desperately trying to perfect my non-shouting low toned serious voice. It's louder and lower than my normal voice, and much slower, as opposed to my shrieky harpee shouty voice which has no effect whatsoever.

how old does he have to be before I can break out 'I'm not angry with you, just very disappointed'

Are you see Another, you are chopping andchanging tactics again. Not good.
Kids of this age don't 'think'.

Who's in charge-yuo or him?

It may sound a bit daft but my dd1 has it at her nursery and it really works. I have a picture of a 'Happy Cloud' and a picture of a 'Sad Cloud'. When she is being good a picture/symbol for her is on the happy cloud. If she is naughty i threaten her with the sad cloud and she instantly changes the bad behaviour. It works for us... She has been on the sad cloud maybe twice in 3 months. Also sticker charts rewarding the good behaviour are worth a try.