Props used for GD

[Aquafina]

I was wondering if any of you mommas use props for GD?Like a timer or a chair,or anything else and how do use the props?.........I need ideas my parenting is not working for them...I am sure I sound like a naggy shrill monster mom to them.....My son called me momma megatron the other day BTW Thats the bad guy on Transformores

[alegna]

Well we don't do time outs... so we definitely don't have a chair for them.

I don't really have any specific *props* but I have been known to make up something silly with whatever is at hand. I find *most* of the time a playful approach gets further than anything else.

-Angela

[LilyGrace]

Hmm....props? Um, I guess you could call it that. Over the years we've used:

Various sand timers (for ten second tidies)
A white board (good for everything from saying what needs to be worn outside that day to the mood of the house)
miniature cleaning supplies (small spray bottles, rags, mini brooms, dusters..to enforce logical consequences)
Dolls and puppets (for role playing)
Pencil and paper (to write ONE story between the two arguing children)
jar o'chores (everything from the usual "pick up the blocks" to "hop on one foot 5 times. Slips are pulled out until the room is clean)
The marble jar (every time a good deed is done by anyone in the home, a marble is dropped in by the person who saw it. When the jar is full we do something fun as a family)

Alegna is right, though. A silly or lighthearted approach tends to work best when tempers are running high. Just use what you have and be creative.

[rainyday]

I do use a timer a fair amount I guess. My child seems to react well to the impartial nature of a timer. Somehow it's easier for him to stop doing whatever when the timer goes off than to stop doing it when I ask him. So, I'll sometimes set it for five or ten minutes before it's time to start getting ready for bed, or to clean up or something, and tell him that when it goes off it will be time to do such and such. When it goes off, he's usually willing to stop doing what he was doing and do whatever needs to be done.

Let's see, another "prop" we've used is a chart. I made a list of all the things that need to happen in the morning, and it helps DS to track what he needs to do to get ready for school each day. This helps keep him moving in the morning and focused on what he needs to do, which helps me not get stressed about him dawdling as we run late, which helps make our mornings more peaceful.

The biggest tools in my "toolbox" are having a good connection with DS and being playful. Challenging him to a race (I wonder if you'll get your seatbelt on before I get my stuff in the trunk...) works wonders!

[Ruthla]

I don't use any "props" either- we don't do "time outs" unless somebody just needs to get away from an intense situation(when the child is yelling, kicking, etc)- and then there's no timer involved, you can come back when you're finished lashing out at other family members!

[yoginisarah]

We have a place in our house for voluntary time outs. There is a meditation cushion, a yoga mat, some inspirational books and some toys. No one has to go there though. It's more of a retreat when you need some time to cool off and relax.

[Aquafina]

I find *most* of the time a playful approach gets further than anything else.

I am going to try and be more playful

Various sand timers (for ten second tidies)
A white board (good for everything from saying what needs to be worn outside that day to the mood of the house)
miniature cleaning supplies (small spray bottles, rags, mini brooms, dusters..to enforce logical consequences)
Dolls and puppets (for role playing)
Pencil and paper (to write ONE story between the two arguing children)
jar o'chores (everything from the usual "pick up the blocks" to "hop on one foot 5 times. Slips are pulled out until the room is clean)
The marble jar (every time a good deed is done by anyone in the home, a marble is dropped in by the person who saw it. When the jar is full we do something fun as a family)

Thank You I got some really good ideas......The sandtimer sounds good for brushing teeth
The white board sounds really helpful for my older DS and me....The marble jar sounds wonderful.......Why havent I thought of this stuff ever

I do use a timer a fair amount I guess. My child seems to react well to the impartial nature of a timer. Somehow it's easier for him to stop doing whatever when the timer goes off than to stop doing it when I ask him. So, I'll sometimes set it for five or ten minutes before it's time to start getting ready for bed, or to clean up or something, and tell him that when it goes off it will be time to do such and such. When it goes off, he's usually willing to stop doing what he was doing and do whatever needs to be done.

Let's see, another "prop" we've used is a chart. I made a list of all the things that need to happen in the morning, and it helps DS to track what he needs to do to get ready for school each day. This helps keep him moving in the morning and focused on what he needs to do, which helps me not get stressed about him dawdling as we run late, which helps make our mornings more peaceful.

I really think my DS would feel the same way with the timer as your DS....I think the ideas here will benifit us all thank you I am going to be at the craft store in the morrning finding fun stuff to GD with and help me be a better FUN Playful Mom.....

[captain optimism]

The timer on the stove is a prop! I didn't even think of that until i saw Rainyday's post. It helps keep me honest, too. I use it all the time, not only for his sake, but for mine.

I also let and sometimes even encourage my son to bring toys to the next activity when he has trouble with a transition. I'll say, "You can't bring that stuffed animal into the bathtub. Come with me to pick out a waterproof toy for bathtime." When my friend's son was visiting I told him he was allowed to bring a toy to the dinner table, but that he wasn't allowed to eat it. I love how two year olds giggle when you say things like that.