Amazing toddler hack #3: Three magic words…when this then

They say that good things come in threes, and so say hello to the third amazing toddler hack and parenting tip I’m about to share with you!

You know THAT huffy (but also quite comical) face your toddler digs deep to produce when you ask them to do something like..oh I don’t know…tidy up, brush their teeth…or perhaps, eat their dinner – totally crushing your love of parenthood?

Yes your heart sinks, you feel panic rising in your chest, how will you circumvent their oncoming defiance for the upteenth time that day? Are you ready for this piece of parenting advice?

This is how:

Three magic words….when this, then.

When you tidy up, then you can watch TV.

When you brush your teeth, then you can go to the park.

When you finish your dinner, then you can play.

Ha! The ultimate in toddler negotiation, mastered in one full swoop.

See that huffy puffy face immediately switch to agreeable mode, as they realise they can only get what they want, by fulfilling their side of the bargain to the tune of “Whistle while you work”. It’s like someone flicks a switch, almost every single time.

The key to this is using it as a somewhat pre-emptive strike – don’t bother if things have already gone to pot. You need to whip this out, as a matter of course, early in the negotiations before they go all crackpot on you.

Quick spread word! Just don’t tell the toddlers about this hack….or my other ones here and here!

But DO try this at home and leave me a comment to let me know if it has worked for you.

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