Getting a toddler to do anything in any given time period is a tough job. A lot of mornings it comes down to one simple thing: my son doesn’t let to get dressed. He wants to sit around watching TV and playing with toys, eating breakfast and drinking chocolate milk, all in just his diaper. Any attempt to alter this schedule does not end well.
For quite a while, we tried taking a hard line with Eric. I ask first, and if he doesn’t listen, I tell him sternly that this is the way it’s going to be. I’m the parent, after all, and he does need to listen to me. Unfortunately, this is where the toddler power struggle begins.
I try to avoid the toddler power struggle, I really do. I offer choices, but he just says no and walks away from both. I try to make it seem like his idea, but he’s too smart for that. I try to work in rewards and order his activities (”you can have your chocolate milk after you put your shirt on”), but he decides the chocolate milk isn’t worth it. Nothing wanted to work.
Then I became inspired by another blog I read about how they used positive reinforcement in the morning to get things to happen. Her idea was to praise the little steps – he isn’t dressed, but he got a new diaper on! Yay! Unfortunately, some mornings he won’t do anything but wake up, so I had to work it from there.
The answer? I get silly.
A little silly goes a long way with Eric. Won’t get a new diaper? I sniff his bottom. “Peee-eww! Stinky!” Won’t put his shirt on? “OK, I’m going to wear your shirt!” I smile at him and proceed to put his shirt on my legs. Or I put it on my head and pull it down so it’s cover my face, then pretend to fumble around. Won’t go get his shoes? I pretend I can’t find them, searching everywhere but where they are.
It’s a lot more fun than taking the hard line and it’s more effective too.
As an added benefit, Eric laughing tends to get Danny laughing, and I get to start my day to the sound of my boys cracking each other up. Could there be anything better?
Tags: choices, power struggles
LOL! At least he’d wear the diaper it takes an act of war to get Ryan to even put on underwear. I swear the first thing he does when he wakes up is pee and then strip.