Consequences at bedtime?

[festivalwidow]

This is probably a really stupid question. I have a 2 year old DD who is as capable of tantrums as most toddlers, and I'm beginning to introduce a 1-2-3-magic type thing which is working OK ('if you don't stop doing x by the time I count to 3, we won't go to the park/ I'm putting your Lego in the cupboard until after lunch' sort of thing).

Trouble is that she has now started kicking off around bedtime. The tantrums I can handle (usually with the thought of a large glass of wine later), but I'm at a loss on the 'if you don't stop running around and get into your pyjamas by the time I count to 3, then.... er....' side of things. I suspect she's a bit small for 'if you don't do this then there will be this consequence tomorrow', and there isn't much that would happen afterwards that I can threaten to remove.

So, what can I do with a gleefully misbehaving toddler who I swear has worked out that I can't impose very much close to bedtime? Should I threaten to read her One Day In The Life of Ivan Denisovich as a bedtime story? Put straight to bed with no story and no goodnight? .

No story worked for us. Always good night and a kiss though.

You will have to stand in the corner and face the wall for 3 minutes?

No bedtime story? (making sure bedtime story is the last thing that happens in the whole day after she gets in bed)

just put them to bed in whatever they are wearing, give em a kiss and a goodnight, and walk out the door, shutting it behind you. We found that they hastily changed into pjs and shouted "sowwy mummy, can we hab a sdory now"

In our house the final line of defence is "if you get out of bed again I will take a toy out of your room". They really really hate it though so I try not to take anything they were currently playing with.

We're a bit rubbish really I think, as Supernanny always says just take them back to bed, and say "Bed" and instead we have this sequence with DD most nights:

• bath
• story
• bed - hugs & kisses
• can I go to the loo? Yes
• bed - hugs & kisses
• can I have some water? Yes
• bed - brief pat
• can I have some more water? No, you are big enough to get it yourself (DD has just turned 3)
• waaa
• waaa
• I have spilled it, I'm wet, I need new pyjamas!
• DH or I put new pyjamas on
• bed - hug & kiss
• I will take a toy out of your room
• bed - pat
• waaa
• waaa
• takes toy

-WAAAA

• toddles into DS's room
• DS shouts that DD is in his room
• back to bed DD, I am taking another toy
• WAAAA
• DD goes to sleep

It was similar with DS, who's 6 and he's been good as gold at going to bed for at least 2 years now...

We have 2 stories at night, one with mummy, one with daddy, so we can threaten the removal of one story if we have to. Our main tantrums are around tooth brushing and we do stickers for that, he faffs about - no sticker. We have had the situation before where he comes into the bathroom to retreive his toothbrush to do them properly as he's been told he's not getting a sticker and he desperately wants one.

Whatever you do, always a goodnight kiss and hug though.