Three year old keeps running off!

[goodenoughmum88]

Help!
My 3 year old boy had stopped legging it for a while but now has started again. We'll be out and he'll go, not listen, not come back, not be scared etc. I've tried explaining stranger danger (in a "bad men might get you" way). I've shouted, I've withdrawn treats. He says he's sorry but I think he gets so caught up in the moment he can't stop himself, (or am I being soft?! Prepared to be told I am!). I always find him and try and keep him close/engaged in whatever we're doing but just occasionally I'm feeding his little brother and I need a minute or two to pick up and get up, but he's gone! He's luckily got road sense and stops at crossings and waits, so I know he has some control. He's very quick! Any advice please?

Reins are your friend

One of these days his "road sense" is going to be forgotten

Reins

Reins

I had three runners.

You have my sympathy

I have a runner who is 4 with sen. He gets a choice, walk nicely or reins (he hates reins ). He usually walks nicely but can get bored /distracted. The moment he runs off and I catch him he is straight on the reins.

Reins it is! Even in the park? That's where most of the incidents occur?! He walks quite well on the road.

Yes, even in the park

Your choice. You say he bolts. So stop him bolting.

Fair enough. Thanks all. Thought we'd gotten past this stage!

I had a runner...Reigns.or wrist strap... My ds for quite a while afterwards.. I carried wrist strap in my pocket...He knew if he didn't stop he would be on strap..

Also something I saw on TV..I use the word Stop..It is short and sharp.

If this is happening at the park..You remove him from the park for not listening...He will soon learn.

My 2-year-old DD has no sense. Luckily she loves these lion reins. You could get a fun set like those, or one of those little backpacks that have reins attached.

I agree reins but be careful not to trust them completely my ds could undo the clip on them by 3. Id say if he has the sense not to run across the road he has the sense not to run away its just a case of what he wants to do so strict rules for a while.

Thank you. I think I need to be strict again, have been relaxed as he got better and is being super good in other areas (veg consumption, playing with baby brother) and we've had some time away with Daddy so there's been 2 of us around. He's a quick learner so I'll go back to "walk nicely and stay close or we'll be holding hands the whole way" and hopefully this'll work again. If not; THE STRAP! (Sounds so harsh!!)

Had a boy who would be fine on the road, but woukd run in the playground. We used to play the "Stop" game. Get him running round the garden, then shout "stop!", " go!" a few times, making a game of it. Let him shout and you stop etc. Then tell him that he is great at stopping when you say so, which is fantastic if you see danger and he doesn't because he's shorter than you.

In playgrounds, give him an invisible barrier - so eg. no further than the slide.

If he still runs - reins or pushchair!

I get min to help push the pram as its a job and he loves jobs and obv keeps him close.
We've a double so its walk nicely or ride which helps.

Don't make it a punishment - 'Behave or you'll have to wear the reins'! - just reintroduce reins as a matter of course.

Reins better than a wrist strap, I think - they need both hands free if they trip.

Traffic light game works a treat in halting a runner in their tracks. Also helps if your fit enough to keep up too

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/201116173387?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=122&chn=ps&googleloc=9045046&poi=&campaignid=207297426&device=c&adgroupid=13585920426&rlsatarget=pla-131843260386&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=122&ff19=0

We had these ones. The bat ones were my fave