The old tricks* of "here are my car keys, jingle jingle," don't necessarily work. (Although sometimes it still does! God bless the "keys" trick!)
So, for parents like us going through this transition, here are five new tricks to use on that baby slowly turning into a kid.
I didn't make all these tricks up, but I definitely use them all. Every day.
Sometimes they work. And other times, like last night, baby boy runs around with his diaper off yelling, "I pee and poo on carpet, I pee and poo on carpet!"
Seriously.
5 Tricks to Get the Toddler to Do What You Want
1. Which of these two things do you want to do?
Give your toddler two options, both of which lead to your desired outcome.
Example: Instead of, "Do you want to go to the car?" Ask, "Which shoes do you want to wear to the car: the orange shoes, or the yellow shoes?"
Success Rate: 95%
Side Note: My internet provider also uses this trick on me. Why? Because it works. You get stuck thinking about the options presented in front of you, and it's hard to think about an alternative. (Maybe I DON'T need internet at the house! Maybe I should get together with my neighbor and share!)
Now that I think about it, my bank, credit card company, and wife also use this trick. That's because it's a good one.
2. Yes, you can do that, but later.
Instead of saying, "No," let your toddler know that of course they can go outside and play in the mud, but just, not right now because it's dinnertime. Later, though. No problem.
Success Rate: 80%
Why this works: Toddlers don't like to hear "no." And most of them time, they forget about "later." I'm not saying they live in the present and don't have a sense of the future...but.. Actually, I am saying that.
Why this doesn't always work: Sometimes they don't forget. Especially if "later" involves ice cream.
Bonus: I've heard parents are able to use this to get kids to do chores, such as, "Yes, you can do that, but not until your toys are picked up." Those parent's are fucking amazing.
3. That's for adults only.
I don't know if this works for everyone, but when we tell baby boy that something is "for adults only," with a serious look, he respects that.
Example: Of course you can't drink Daddy's coffee, that's for "adults only."
This can also apply to anything you don't want messed up, such as any drawer or cupboard or closet or anything he can get his damn hands...
Success Rate: 70%
I am aware the phrase, "Adults Only," is used a different manner in the "adult" world. But I swear, when you say it to your kid, it's sounds really innocent...and definitely not like a sign on the side of a gentleman's club.
4. Uh oh, Mommy's leaving, quick, let's...
New Mom often leaves for work first. The boy knows that he only has a certain amount of time to do things with her in the morning, so if he wants to brush his teeth with mamma, well, now's the time! Go go go!
Success Rate: 60%
5. Daddy is doing X and it's the the most goddamn fun thing in the world...
Also known as the Huckleberry Finn trick, this one takes commitment. Any hesitation, and the game is up. So break out that inner Meryl Streep and dig in.
Example: "Wow, putting on my shoes is amazing! Left foot slides right in, oh my gosh that feels so cool!"
Yeah, that sounds a little lame when I write it out. But as I've learned as parent, don't judge until you try it.
Success Rate: 25-75% (Depending on your inner Streep.)
And...
That's all I've got. Hopefully those help!
Got any tricks you use? Let me know and when I have another 5, I'll create another list.
Lastly, I'm always a little hesitant to write about parenting "things that work." Because now, there is a 25% chance that I've jinxed all these tricks, and we're back to square one.
And I'd rather not be in square one. There's a lot of crying in square one.
Not to mention, pee and poo.
Seriously.
-ND
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* Maybe "trick" is the wrong word.**
** Maybe it isn't.
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