The sneaky trick I use to get my preschooler to listen -- the first time
by Michelle Stein posted in Parenting
Oh, 4 years old. It's a magical time filled with new experiences at pre-school, pushing boundaries, expressing opinions ? and driving parents completely insane.
My middle child recently turned 4, and it's been, well ... interesting. I mean, she carries on full conversations and is reading. And yet, simple requests like, "Hey, can you please try to go potty before we leave the house"" are met with dramatic flailing and wailing, "Noooo, I don't have tooooo!!"
Now, the old me would try reasoning with the beast at first. "Um, yes, you need to at least try to pee. We're going to be in the car for two hours, girlie." But she would only dig her heels in further. "NO!"
IÂ would then resort to threatening. "If you don't try to go potty before we leave, then you're not getting any snacks." To which she would immediately burst into tears, "But I want a snaaaaaaack." Inconsolable, snot-dripping sobs ensued.
The final step would be leading her into the bathroom, turning on the light and setting her on the potty -- where, lo and behold, she would empty a nearly-full bladder. The same saga played out whenever I asked her to (god forbid) put on her shoes. Or brush her teeth. Or wash her hands after going potty. It's mentally and emotionally draining.
My question to the universe is this: What is it with 4-year-olds and refusing to complete mundane tasks without having to be asked/coe...
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