“Avery.” I said in a stern, but not scolding voice, “Please pick up your duck from the kitchen and put him in your basket or I’ll take him away.” Never thought that would be a sentence I’d have to say.
Avery’s resulting facial expression said it all….
After repeating myself just to give her another chance and waiting for 5 minutes (felt like an hour!), I had to take the duck and put it on top of the bookshelf.
You’ll notice the bag of blocks already there from a similar standoff we incurred earlier in the day.
And before that, we received a package at the door so I let her play with the box. I told her as long as she keeps off the couch and doesn’t tear the things off the box, she can play with it. I should’ve known better….
She also handed me a piece of tape and cardboard strip she tore off. She’s lucky she’s so cute!
This, along with 10,000,000,000 other standoff-type occurrences have become part of the daily routine. Going Mom and I try to maintain composure and do quite well most of the time, but, well, c’mon, patience can only be tested for so long.
Parents, I am sure you know exactly what I’m talking about here. And to think we only have our one, my heart goes out to you with multiple! Your patience must be like that of iron! Or just really good. 🙂
I assume the communication barrier parents face with their toddlers is a commonality we all must experience to turn our hair gray at a faster than normal rate fully appreciate parenthood. It may not be needed (or necessary), but I took it upon myself to create a visual representation of the barrier with a quick video. By simply taking a ball and asking Avery to catch it, you see the barrier in full effect.
What do you think? Did I capture the parent-toddler communication barrier accurately?
It does help to keep calm and politely ask your little one to do as told. Then, once (if) they follow through, be sure to praise them and let them know how good they are. You just might be rewarded with super cuteness!
Do you have any parent-toddler communication barrier examples of your own?
What ways do you find best to get them to listen better? Or are you still searching?
Welcome to parenting pal! It only gets worse and the toys get more expensive!
“Worse,” or better? All about perspective. The glass is half full. Until your toddler comes and knocks it off the counter!!!
Woah there! You playing catch or dodgeball? Take a little something off that fastball. Lol
Oh the standoffs. I’ve found the more I’m consistent, the less they try to test me. I also try to be careful when I say “if you don’t _____, I’m going to _____” because sometimes in haste I’m just making a threat I really didn’t want to follow through on. So I try to make sure it’s something I’m ok with following through on.
The teen years should be interesting. 🙂
Hey now, I never claimed to be great thrower! 🙂
I hear ya on being careful about the “threats”. Sometimes I speak before thinking and end up making myself follow through on things I don’t want to just so she knows I’m not just saying things.
Thanks for the comment, and yeah, teen years….ugghhh