amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

juliebelle · 05-15-2006, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueRoseMama

I always set the kitchen timer... at 3 I usually set it at something crazy like 45 minutes for a clean up of craft stuff, but she didn't know that and it works. She also wants to do EVERYTHING herself. If I helped her at all, even if she asked for it, she would drop it all and allow me to do it by myself. Grrrrrrrrr... this is when we had conversations like that Julie. lol... Somehow the tick tick tick of the timer always works for her, and still does when asking doesn't. If she is terribly reluctant I usually pick a book I will read when she is done. That gets her going too. But she has to do it herself. If I try and help, she just sits back and lets me do it. She usually doesn't have trouble in that area any more...

now if I had just done this with Alex.

Val

you know...savannah does really well with the timer too. we used the timer when potty training. and we use the timer when we are going outside to play on the swingset. that might just be the trick.

grian · 05-15-2006, 11:39 PM

My 3.5 yo essentially "ignores" me when I say it's time to clean up. She is often absorbed in her current task and can't seem to break free. If i hand her a toy/book and ask her to put in in her room or in that basket she will "snap" out of it. It is a struggle.

It was a huge struggle with my oldest as well, but now that he is 5 he "gets it". He will often say, if we clean up xyz will you get the tinker toys out, or the like. He often complains that my 3 yo isn't helping and I can't help but chuckle to myself.