“Last Time” is my antidote to the “Do Agains” of the terrible twos and beyond. Granted, hearing that tiny giggle IS irresistible, but how many times can one adult shout “Boo!” before the thrill is gone? When I am on my last nerve, I sweetly sing out, “Last Time!” — giving my darling toddler the warning that he needs to end the fun gracefully. Go on, try it — and bow out of playtime, gracefully, while you still have a shred of your sanity.
For more tips and tricks, visit Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer.
Sister, there are no last shreds. My sanity left years ago. And I can’t completely blame it on the children. Their daddy had something to do with it. I’m just sayin’ …
I will def try this. The shape sorter is only so much fun for so long, you know!
LOL – that is so sweet
Also effective is a dramatic tumble backwards into the dirt and a muffled whimper or two. Not as straightforward, though.
Good idea! We’ve used “two minutes” since my son could walk–at 3, he still has no idea how long “two minutes” is–but he understands that he had better play as hard as he can for those last few moments before I scoop him up and move on to something else.
Great tip, girl!!
And perhaps a bit gentler than me screaming, “I CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE!”
We have 3-times rule, but I’ve only applied it to books/songs/stories.
I will re-read/re-tell/sing-again three times without complaint and be done. I usually say, “this is the third time” before the last “again.”
We don’t have a lot of order in our home, but some things are no longer questioned.
Of course I don’t invoke the rule if I’m having fun too, or am teaching them a poem or something.
Sometimes interminable repetitions are actually fun. Really!
It surprised me when in happened two weeks ago. My girls and I couldn’t stop laughing and kept singing our 4-line ditty over and over again.
Found your blog via WFMW. Glad I did.
We use this around here too. Works great!
BTW, I love the new header… so cute!
I don’t have any shreds left… how do you get them back?????
Lol!
Sanity?
That’s a memory… LOL!