How would you handle this situation? - Page 2

[nd_deadhead]

OP, you've gotten a lot of great ideas!

When my twins would go on and on about something, I'd say "Do you think if you ask 10 more times, I'll change my mind?" Or, if they were actually throwing a tantrum about something (and the mood was right), I'd ask "Do you think if you yell and scream loud enough I'll change my mind? Go ahead, give it a try!"  Encouraging them to throw a bigger fit was silly, and they knew it - but they would play along. A minute later I'd pause, concentrate hard, and say "Nope - the answer is the same". That worked in our house because if I made a decision about something, I stuck to it - no amount of whining or begging would get me to change my mind, and they knew it.

[APToddlerMama]

Originally Posted by hakeber 

 If you have time to go often, that is. He sounds like a budding physicist, and they can offer him a safe way to experiment with things like what happens when liquids meet electronics, and how come flies and gekoes can walk on the ceiling but kids can't.   

I would love to say it is all about his scientific curiosity and creativity, but the truth is he's this way about just about everything...the peeing on the phone and walking on the ceiling were just the first two examples to come to mind, lol!

Originally Posted by nd_deadhead 

OP, you've gotten a lot of great ideas!

When my twins would go on and on about something, I'd say "Do you think if you ask 10 more times, I'll change my mind?" Or, if they were actually throwing a tantrum about something (and the mood was right), I'd ask "Do you think if you yell and scream loud enough I'll change my mind? Go ahead, give it a try!"  Encouraging them to throw a bigger fit was silly, and they knew it - but they would play along. A minute later I'd pause, concentrate hard, and say "Nope - the answer is the same". That worked in our house because if I made a decision about something, I stuck to it - no amount of whining or begging would get me to change my mind, and they knew it.

That will probably work at least some times!  Thanks for the idea.  I do notice when we give him a chance to "be noisy" and express his frustration loudly and encourage it, he pretty much quits whining/crying immediately.  I have been using that for "legitimate" (in my mind, not to minimize his feelings) complaints, frustration, etc., but hadn't thought to use it with the seemingly more ridiculous requests that go on and on and on and on.  I will give it a try :).