So, our dear sweet boy has turned into an irritating little shit - at least that's what he was tonight. When I picked him up from school today, we were walking down the stairs and I noticed his shoes were on the wrong feet. I told him, "Bub, your shoes are on the wrong feet." and he snapped back, "No they're not." He was angling for a fight about whether or not his shoes were on the wrong feet - and they clearly were!
It didn't get much better than that after we got home & on through the evening until bedtime.
It is so frustrating because you really cannot reason with an unreasonable person. It's also frustrating because the "fight or flight" instinct does not distinguish itself by age. After a long day, when the primate brain is the only part of my brain that is functioning, when confronted by a belligerant
3 year old, mama ape is ready for a fight.
And that doesn't do anyone any good, and certainly doesn't teach him any lessons - other than what buttons to push.
So, I'm adopting a new tactic. When we tell him "no" and he tries to argue, I don't argue back. I respond, "I understand you want to wear your shoes on your ears, but shoes go on feet, and we will not argue about that". Then, the dialog ends.
2nd new tactic - he is a lolly gagger and if he is playing, it is impossible for him to hear you when you are trying to get him to do something. New rule: I ask once, then I take the toy away. He can have it back when he does what I need him to do, but I'm not going to ask again, and again, and again.
Now, wish me luck that I can have enough higher cognitive function.......
