I'm going to scar them for life, aren't I?

We've started having the "refusing to put on pajamas" battle at our house. I let them run around for a bit in their diapers because Bea's cast needs to drain, found that out the first time she took a bath with it. It's waterproof, but after bath, all this water comes running out of it and I thought her diaper leaked. Anyway, so now they don't want to put on pajamas when the time comes. So I started saying, well, if you don't want your pajamas, I will put them on, and I mock put them on. Or I say the cat can wear them, or some kid down the street. It works, every time. They get upset and run over to put them on. So I started doing it with other things, like if they don't want to eat. Someone stop me! I feel so mean but it works and I don't have to put them in time out or repeat myself 800 times.

 

You've got to do what you've got to do!! Believe me, we do little tricks like that too.

We just moved into toddler beds this week. Nolan will jump out of his bed a few times when we put them down. We keep telling him we are bringing the racecar bed back to his cousin Jack. Then he lays down.....

 

My friend gets her little girl to behave by telling her the police is going to come get her! If it works, I say do it until they get too smart for your 'little white lies', which won't be anytime soon thankfully! :winking0009:

 

:rotflmbo: Too funny! I say if it works, use it. I'll never forget Rosie O'Donnell saying on the View that she told her son that he had a mommy dot on his head and everytime he lied it would lite up and only she could see it. She knew when he would lie because he would put his hand over his forehead when he was telling a lie!

 

I don't consider what you are doing, as mean.

My neice only likes to wear pink. My mom had a white sweater at her house. She told
my neice if you don't want to wear it, I will give it to so and so.

It worked she put the sweater on real fast!

 

That only works on DS. If you threaten to eat his food, he'll gobble it up. If you do the same to DD, she protests and still doesn't eat. Also, Martin WILL NOT eat ALI'S FOOD!! (She'll totally take his if she wants it!) LOL

Good for you for figuring it out!! GO FOR IT!!

 

I think that's pretty cleve - I will have to try it

 

I absolutely love those tricks. I've used the "police" one before, too (like when they are having a moment in the car and refuse to buckle, and we don't have time to wait). I also resort to bribes on occassion (go to sleep without crying for mommy at all, you can have a treat in the morning kind of thing).

 

We used to you that threat when it came to eating. It stopped working when William started pushing his plate to us so we could eat his food .

 

lol weve always done stuff like that too. When dd 8 was little she constanty ran away. She'd run into traffic if we weren't careful. Anyway we realized she was afraid of bee's. So when she started to take off on us we'd yell "watch out for the bee's!". She'd come flying back to us :FIFblush: I know horrible but it worked!

 

I just hope they don't call my bluff some day and then I have to put pajamas on the poor cat! :laughing:

 

I think that's totally fine. I even read a similar suggestion in a Parenting magazine (I think they called it "reverse psychology") and I thought, "Well, that seems a little mean, but if it works...." I'm SURE you won't scar them for life!

I am uneasy about the variations like "the police will come get you," though.... To me, there's a difference between saying you'll give her sister all her peas, or put the PJs on the cat, versus threatening them with something really bad. But ask me again when mine are 2.5....

 

QUOTE
I just hope they don't call my bluff some day and then I have to put pajamas on the poor cat!


Actually, my DS calls my bluff EVERY time. Do you want me to feed/give this to the dog/your sister?..he says yes . I think he has figured out its a handy way of getting out of stuff he does not want to do.

 

I used to have to threaten to eat their foodor feed it to the dog, but it doesn't work anymore. Now, I have to pretend that they are a dog and I'm feeding them. It works. I say, as long as you are not shoving food down their throught, or tying them down to put on their pjs, you have to do what you have to do.

 

QUOTE(Saiynee @ Oct 18 2007, 05:48 PM) [snapback]456557[/snapback]
as long as you are not ... tying them down to put on their pjs, you have to do what you have to do.


Wait -- is that bad? :laughing:

I have never literally tied mine down to put on their PJs, but I've come pretty close to sitting on them.

 

QUOTE(Minette @ Oct 18 2007, 12:39 PM) [snapback]456791[/snapback]
Wait -- is that bad? :laughing:

I have never literally tied mine down to put on their PJs, but I've come pretty close to sitting on them.



Um, I've sat on them (okay, just one leg flung over their torso, but close enough). :huh:

 

With all the testosterone in my house we make everything a contest..."If you don't hurry and eat Daddy (or Patrick) is going to beat you." "If you don't get undressed quickly Patrick gets to take his shower first." "If you don't pick up your toys, Joseph and Zachary are gonna get your cookies."

So far, so good

I say do what works...

 

QUOTE
With all the testosterone in my house we make everything a contest...


That is totally our house, as well! DH taught me that trick and it works like a charm. Boys are so naturally competitive that they always want to be first. They also always want 'the rest of it' whatever 'it' is..... for instance the last bit of milk in the jug, even though we have TONS of milk - we have 6 half gallon bottles delivered twice every week! It's just the idea of getting 'the rest' of ANYTHING that is appealing!

My little trick to get them to cooperate is I tell them I'm going to cover my eyes and count to 10, and we'll see if they can be dressed, or have the toys picked up by then. I cover my eyes very dramatically and start counting. They always HOP TO IT right away. The good thing is that they are not suspicious, so they don't notice me peeking so I can adjust my rate of counting to make sure they beat me every time! They are so thrilled with themselves when 'they beat mommy's counting!' It's a great way to turn a power struggle into a game.

I would not tell my children that the police were going to get them, though! I've heard horror stories of children being terrified of police or firemen who were there to help during a life-threatening situation (car accident or home fire, for example.) My friend, whose husband is a police officer, had a lot of stories of her husband pulling someone over for a traffic infraction and the children freaking out because they thought that the police were coming 'to get them' or take their mommy away! I don't hesitate to tell my children that they have to ride in their carseats because it's the law and the police say we have to do it, though! I just wouldn't ever make police sound like the bad guy!

 

I just wouldn't ever make police sound like the bad guy!
[/quote]

I kind of agree...or use the boogie man as a threat. I was standing in line at the grocery store and one of my guys was not listening and some stranger looks at him and says " you better listen to your mom or the boogie man will get you" I looked at the guy with the "who are you and what did you just say" look and told him that I dont appreciate that comment.

I like the closing your eyes and counting technique. I will have to remember that one.

 

I don't think that's mean. I think it's funny!! Can you imagine the cat wearing the little jammies!!! Too funny!!!
good for you for being creative with them.

 

whatever works. as long as you are consistent and follwo thru and put the pjs on the cat if necessary. i try not to make promises, "if you do this, then I will do this later" b/c something happens and I forget.