You know the drill: You’re getting ready to go out, and your toddler is making it impossible to actually get everything together and leave. How do you handle her interference?

One mom swears by this method for “striking while the iron is cold” (preventively):

She writes: “Recently I have been sitting him in a designated chair before we have to leave the house. I give him a book or something to hold onto and tell him that his job is to help Mommy by staying in the chair until it’s time to leave. This usually works well, and it cuts the hassle factor waaaaay down. I’ve also used this same strategy when he gets out of hand when I’m in conversation with another adult. Instead of trying to address every problem separately, I just send him to his quiet spot for a few minutes before the conversation even gets rolling. In both cases, I make it clear that he’s not being punished; rather, that he’s being Mommy’s helper.”

Apparently some people find this approach strange, but I think it’s pretty darned clever, and John Rosemond of “Traditional Parenting” agrees. I’m not sure it would work with my toddler, but now I’m tempted to try! It’s one thing to get her involved in a helpful way (”Can you help Mommy by finding your shoes?”) - I’d never have dreamed of actually managing to get her to sit still while I pack our diaper bag and get her baby brother changed.

While I’d imagine that this method has a certain limited effectiveness, time-wise, a quiet toddler not undoing everything as his mom gets ready? That’s just plain cool.

Do you have additional tips for gaining toddler cooperation in a situation like the one described above? Squawk back and let me know!

Posted by Sunshining.