Dexter has a strong willed personality and exhibits a strong urge to be independent. We have all sorts of issues with it.
- Like I can't go to the bathroom without him trying to sneak out of the house to go to the park that is a block away. He is even now making sure he doesn't let the door latch so I can't hear the door shut.
He isn't a bad kid, but he won't listen when we tell him he can't do things for his own safety.
- Another example, he climbed on top of the kitchen counter, to stand up to get a plate down from the cabinet, and then proceeded to put bread (ripping a hole in my bread bag... :/) in the toaster.
- Last example: He will take off his own clothes and start his bath water at will. Let me not go into all the dangers of that!
I'm constantly having to watch him. Telling him that he can't do something and why it is dangerous doesn't help. I wouldn't classify my child as a bad kid, but he likes to test the boundaries and he has "little big man" syndrome lol
Siting in a chair or standing in the corner type of time outs don't work on him.
Sometimes redirecting helps and I use that when I can.
Telling him other ways to get what he wants that are more safe (like asking mommy to come to the park, bathtub, kitchen, etc with him).
Sometimes rewards or punishments work. Like I said I don't tell him before hand (so it doesn't become something expected), but if he is having a good listening day we do something special and we tell him why. Other times when he isn't listening thus throwing toys or something.. we take something away.
There are times I get so frustrated and upset, that I do send him to bed (Which is like a time out for him). He has his stuffed animals and he has books on his headboard that he can reach from his bed if he isn't tired. I calm myself down, I let him try to regroup for 10-20 minutes... and then if he is still awake I go in and talk to him.