Finn

How do you handle backtalking from your toddler? I mean things along the lines of "It's time to eat" "NO! It is not time to eat and I won't do it!" or like that - when they fight you and talk back about every little thing.

Cynthia

Duct.tape.

.

KeriKadi

Of course I know not every response works for every child. In our house it would go something like this "Excuse me? No ma'am, you may not speak to me that way. We don't talk to each other like that in this house." if that didn't get me anywhere it would be a time out on the stairs until they were ready to speak nicely. I think that has happened twice with KA.

mhurst

I send them to their room. I DO NOT TAKE BACKTALK P.E.R.I.O.D.
I intend to nip it in the bud especially when they are little. We do a lot of "watch your tone".

I am a big fan of polite words and good manners...We are trying to teach them to the kids...emphasis on trying.

Vanesa

It's the only thing I didn't try.

I just hope is a short stage because it drives me crazyyyyyy

If she talks back and I say ok now you can not watch M&R she comes back with : I don't care.

symesa

Man, we have started that big time around here. All my efforts to remain calm and cool...to try to use some Love & Logic stuff like being sure to present choices just gets me no where! "No, I want _____." and "Mummy, you need to _____." are hatefully coming out of her mouth all the time.

I often say what Keri does, get that mom tone of voice and tell her "no ma'am you don't speak that way to ___" but I still feel like we are getting way more than we should. I'm going to take another Love & Logic class to try to drill it into my head a little better as I know me keeping my cool and changing the way I say things is the best way to get the kind of behavior I want. And I also see what Melissa is saying about having a no-tolerance policy on it. Ay! Somedays I feel like we have a no-tolerance policy on everything!

Good luck to you Finn! If you find anything that works, let me know.

BTW, I have already threatened duct tape but she wrote me off when she noticed that "I'll hang you up by your toenails" twinkle in my eye.

KATin NJ

Ditto....We are of the "zero tolerance camp". It's one thing to whine "I'm not hungry", but if they get defiant, they either get a time out, lose Webkinz priviledge or sent to their room. It's all in the tone with me.

It's so hard to be consistent, but I think it pays off later when they know what is expected of them. Good luck!!

BigNutbrownHare

Yep, it has recently gotten bad here as well. I use Keri's tactic, almost exactly. When that has been said and it continues, he has to go to his room, where I give the same speech again and say that he cannot come back and join everyone else until he is ready to do whatever it was he was being defiant about. It has worked every time I have had to take it that far, so I have no idea what I will do when/if that ever fails.

Beckyrs

Yeah, it is at least twice A DAY here. DD is big with the backtalk. She gets sent to her room and if it continues after 4 minutes in her room then she starts losing things/priviledges. Not that this seems to work for us.

Lynni

I've got a back talker here too. Keri's approach has been done many a time. Lots of time-outs, loss of priviledges, etc. He has gotten better with age and he doesn't like loosing his priviledges, but it is enough to drive my nuts.

Good luck.