3 Year old CopyCats and SmartMouths

"'Kate" wrote in message
...
On 16 Jun 2005 08:56:55 -0700, "DramaNut" the
following was posted in blue dry erase marker:

Hi,
I am in a position where I have a 3 year old son, who thinks that
copying everything I say is fun. Sometimes it is funny. Sometimes it
is not. For instance, I say "Pick up the Crayons" he says "YOu pick up
the crayons", and proceeds to laugh.

Repeat that it's time to pick the crayons and that if you pick them up,
they will be put away in the trash because that's the new rule. Then
ask, "Are you sure you want me to pick them up?" and if he says yes or
mimics me again, I'd pick them up and throw them away. Period. The
next time, I'd say, "Remember the new rule? If I have to pick your toys
up, I will throw them away." Eventually, he'll catch on.

Haha I did that ONCE. Now when I say tidy up, they scrabble.

If you're unwilling to throw them away, then you'll probably have to punish
using
a time out. In the meanwhile, if you catch him doing something good on
his own, make a bit of a deal about it... moreso than the punishment if
he does something wrong. He has to want to please you by doing the
right thing and not learn to earn attention (the bad kind) by doing bad
things. Are you spending enough time with him as a little person doing
what he likes to do? What does he like to do? Can you use that as an
incentive to get him to do what he's supposed to do first?

He doesn't listen when i ask him to do stuff, he thinks its funny to
just tell me to do it.
I usually have to say, ok, no tv, or no dvds, until he will get
going, but sometimes that doesn't always work. I was wondering if
anyone has had the same thing (where your kid gives you lip like that).

If they did it, it was only that one time. I still have toys in the
attic that one kid or the other did not want to pick up... (my kiddos
are 15, 17 on Sunday, and 26 on Wednesday).. but I'm a pack rat.

Also, anyone else hate daycares where kids learn to say "You're
stupid mommy" or "I hate you mommy"? My kid learned that too. LOL he
should never have learned to talk, coz all I get is copying or ordering
around.

Either you gain control now or you're going to have a 16 year old kid
who does whatever he pleases.


Yeah my worst fear. My son pulled an attitude and wouldn't help out with
chores one day, so I kicked him out of the house for 20 mins. He thought it
was great getting out of them, until I wouldn't let him back in. lol I know
it was harsh but it was a good lesson in that if you're not a part of this
family, then you're not welcome. I don't mind joking around and the
occasional smart remark, but I will not tolerate it if they disrespect me.
As a teenager, I was a smart mouthed, little brat towards my Mother (we did
not get along) but looking back, my parents were far too lenient when I was
growing up, so when I got older and they tried cracking down on me, it was
too late.

I have never had another person to help with him (his father left
when i was preggo), and I'm finding it really difficult to figure out
this discipline thing now that he isn't a baby anymore.

Simple.. don't allow anything that you don't want him to repeat 5,000
times in a car on a long trip. It's up to you to encourage good habits
early on so that his life, as an adult and future husband and father, is
an easy one.

Anyone can help?
Crystal

I dunno. How'd I do? Does that seem like something you can do? Have you
tried a reward system before? Time outs? Punishment?

'Kate
P.S. xkatx I liked your response too... pretty much what I said (just
read it)... and you have far more recent experience. :-) Hope you're
doing ok.