Toddlers are smart.
They can bring a top negotiator to their knees with stubborn persistence alone. They can hold adults hostage merely by refusing to pee on the potty. They can bring a grown woman to tears by simply insisting that their socks feel “funny”.
Recently I decided to test some of their better known tactics out for myself. After all, despite repeated redirection, our toddler keeps trying. There must be some sort of payoff.
Our Little regularly flops to the floor in a sad heap if he’s been told not to dip his cheese in his juice cup. When he insists he can put his boot on himself and you comply by backing off, he’ll toss himself to the ground because you listened to him.
What if grown-ups handled their frustration that way?
Our toddler has many super powers – check out his other tactics here.
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Your turn – what frustrates you most? Have you tried the toddler approach yet? It doesn’t solve anything, but surprisingly does make you feel better.
Tough Bananas 
That felt good just to watch in action!
It was quite satisfying, I admit it.
I hate when he screams. And screams. And screams.
Then uses his words to ask for something that’s totally doable.
Toddlers are the worst.
Boy screams < banshees < girl screams
You are very brave. I don’t know if I would put my head on the floor even a little bit near a bathroom that boys use or girls. There have just been way too many surprises in my bathroom. If I get too upset, I just go put myself in timeout. Sometimes with chocolate. It really helps me think.
There’s a possibility I locked myself in our bedroom with a bag of chips recently.
Our toddler stops, looks at the floor with her arms crossed, and doesn’t talk or move from that spot. If you attempt to move her from that spot, she will kick and scream and generally make you wish you had just left her there. I’d love to try that in a line with about 50 people behind me.
Dooooo it.
I love this! So very clever! Check out my most recent public tantrum experience “Public Tantrums” and tips on avoiding and coping with public tantrums “Crying Babies and Screaming Adults” on my blog at.
http://yourbabynannynyc.wordpress.com/
OMG. I truly am laughing with tears, because it’s all true! Mine has this sing-song whine that drives me over the top! She cries when she can’t do something and cries when you help. She’ll say she doesn’t want something and the MINUTE you walk away, she whines that she wants it. I’m with you…I’m going to start doing this and see how they react!
I can totally sympathize. Try it and let me know how it goes