Kid Cooperation                                                                            Page 2
How to Stop Yelling, Nagging & Pleading and Get Kids to Cooperate

I'm sure you've all been there (by the way, David is my son).  Like you, I got very tired of chasing a toddler.  And then I discovered a better way.

Parent:    (Picking up diaper and holding it like a puppet, making it talk in a squeaky voice) Hi, David!  I'm Dilly Diaper!  Come here and play with me!

David:    (Runs over to the diaper) Hi!
Parent as
Diaper:   (You're such a nice boy.  Will you give me a kiss?

David:    Yes. (Gives the diaper a kiss)

Parent as
Diaper:    How about a nice hug?

David:    (Giggles and hugs diaper)

Parent as
Diaper:    Lie right here on the floor, next to me, right here, yup.  
               Can I go on you?
               Oh!  Goody goody goody! (The diaper chats with David
               while he's being changed.  Then it says - Oh, David! Listen,
                I hear your shoes calling you - David! David!

The most amazing thing about this trick is that is works over and over and over and over.  You'll keep thinking, "He's not honestly going to fall for this again!"  But he will!  Probably the nicest by-product of this method is that it gets you in a good mood, and you have a little fun time with your child.  (Remember-it only works if you use a special voice-squeaky, silly, appropriate for a puppet.)  One day, when my son David was almost three, I was making my hand talk to him.  He was hugging my hand, looked up at me and said, "Mommy, I love you to pretend this hand is talking!"  Another day, after I had called David to the table for dinner a number of times, he calmly looked up at me and said, "Mommy, why don't you just have my dinner call to me?"  Order The Book