Moms of 2 yo's - do they listen to you?

[Mom to Brandon and 2 cats]

So, DS doesn't listen when I say "no", unless it's said with a sharp tone of voice such as "don't touch that hot stove!", or unless I've already said something like "don't squeeze the ketchup bottle" 3 times in a normal voice, and then I have to repeat it in a sharp voice.

Does your 2yo listen to you? Or is this normal "boundary testing"?

Also, what about the mid-day nap? My kid can go 9 hours without sleeping - I'm wondering if he's trying to transition out of his daily nap, but it seems too early!

TIA!

[DebbieJ]

Ha ha! Listen? What's that?!?!

:) :) :)

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03
Breastfed for 20 months and 6 days

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[zuzu]

I think it really depends on the child. (And the time of day, and his or her mood, and the way the stars are positioned, and . . .)

Most days she is a great listener (we're lucky), but other days she has her moments where I think we need to get her hearing checked. DH and I are amazed that she can keep such a straight face as she totally ignores us. It's like she is in another world sometimes. And no, we parents are not invited! :)


Melissa, mom to Sarah (5/03)

[lmariana]

Gabe is usually a good listener, but like all toddlers he does test his limits from time to time.

I've found that if I ask him to do what I want (like, give mommy the phone) and give him a few seconds to obey, he's pretty good about it. When it seems like he doesn't hear me, I get on his level, touch his shoulder, make eye contact and ask again. (I learned this from being married. :))

If he doesn't respond or acts like he will disobey...counting to 3 works well for us with Gabe. He'll usually obey before (or on) the THREE. Our rule of thumb is if it doesn't happen by "three", it's a time out.

So far, so good, but I know we'll have to tweak as we go along!

Mariana
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[ellies mom]

That's normal, unfortunately. What I usually do is ask her to do something and then help her do it or not do it. So I'd ask her to stop with the ketchup, then I'd move it. I do a lot of getting down on her level and speaking softly into her ear.

[alkagift]

I have nothing to add but NO. Mine smiles and does what he wants. Luckily for some reason he understands the whole 1-2-3 Magic thing and that works.

Allison
Mommy to Matthew, who is TWO!

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[Mikesa3]

Depends on his mood . How long does your ds sleep at night? Thankfully mine still takes a good nap each day even though he's 2 1/2 .Maybe because when he's awake he's nonstop motion. My oldest ds was never a good napper and gave them up around 2 years old.
Nancy-Mom to 6 great kids

[MichelleRC]

I was actually going to post this very same question.

Danny listens to me about 40% of the time. Basically when it suits him. Like his daddy. If I really need his attention, I do kind of what Mariana does and touch him usually on the elbow or shoulder and say "Look at Mommy" amd then say what I need to say once we have eye contact.
I often wish I had a Dorothy the Dinosaur or Elmo outfit because he seempays more attention to them than me.

At what age is it really reasonable to expect them to listen?

[lmariana]

>At what age is it really reasonable to expect them to listen?

37?

Mariana
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[calebsmama03]

Ha! C is in a rarely if ever listens to me phase currently. Started at about 26 mos (conveniently just at the end of my pg - as I see you are too). TIme out doesn't seem to work these days either :(
Lynne
Mommy to C 3/03
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[dr mom]

LOL! :)

[MichelleRC]

Nah, DH is quite a bit older than that and I'm still waiting.

[Java]

I'm convinced that Kael doesn't know his name for all the attention he gives me. I find that the sharp tone of voice is the only way to get him to pay attention and I don't like doing that.

Luckily for me he still needs his nap - those 2 hours really help me keep my cool for the next 5-6 hours of whining until bedtime!

[Vajrastorm]

You're ahead, if a sharp tone of voice gets you results.

"No" means: "do it again, with feeling" around here. }(

Tell dd no and you are just ASKING for trouble. LOL.

[Sarah1]

Audrey turns 3 in November and she's just starting to get this concept--that she has to listen to mommy. It's getting better, but I would say a lot of the time she still doesn't listen.

[kijip]

Toby listens to me nearly all of the time but I have to say "No, don't throw the milk on the floor" or "Throw away your empty milk box". He does not quite assign "no" to exactly what he is doing unless I spell it out.

As for naps he takes a really long one mid day but every child is different. Maybe quiet alone time instead of a nap?

[babymama]

Yes and no. At the moment that he's doing something he's not supposed to do he mostly doesn't listen. BUT...I find that he randomly remembers things he's not supposed to do - drinking bath water for example. So lower his mouth to the bathwater and then look at me and say "no, no, no agua". And I'll say something like "good, you remember that you're not supposed to drink the water". So, on some level the message has entered his brain. On the other hand, he'll "pretend" like he's drinking the water and actually drink a little - so he knows he's not supposed to, but he looks for a sneaky way to still get what he wants.

Lydia
Mama to Santiago, born 11/16/03 and
One on the way, due 01/03/06

[Zana]

Like the PP said, DS knows the word NO but is either looking for attention, testing my limits or thinks its all a big joke. He constantly says "no,no,no" in exactly the same tone I use *before* he does something he shouldnt. Yesterday I found him poised with his hand on the lamp switch yelling "NO,NO" , till I headed toward him and then he immediately started turning the switch on/off.

So no advice here but a lot of sympathy :)