how can i stop my 2 year old saying "i want" thousands of times a day?

Question

hes 2 and a quater, and hes going through this horrid phase.if he wants a biscuit, he'll say "i want bic bic" over and over again.Also he doesn't have to particularly want something to say it. In the supermarket, hell say everything he sees, with the dreaded "i want". Its like he is incapable of sayng anything without those two words 1st! If we're going to his grandmas, on the way he'll say i want grandma over and over, even though i have explained thats were we are going. I can't bear it, i'm going loopy! I love him dearly, but this has got to stop!

just a quick note- he doesn't get everything he wants, i do tell him no, and stick to my guns!

Answer 1

I know what you mean about getting aggravated with him saying "I want grandma" over and over even though that's where you are going. I go through that, too. The best thing you can do is NOT tell him that's where you are going. Then he wont keep saying it over and over in the car.

As far as him saying that he wants everything else...that's just a phase. It doesnt make it any easier to deal with but at 2 years old, it's incredibly exciting for a child to be able to communicate what he wants! All this time he has wanted to see and touch and learn about things that he couldnt ask for. Now he can and he is taking full advantage!!

Patience is the key. If he is making you nuts it is best to do something to remove yourself from him for a few minutes so you can have some peace and regain your composure. Also, actively playing with your son with his toys or other things he is interested in will distract him from always wanting something else.

And it is also a good idea to explain to him when he keeps saying that he wants something in the grocery store, for example, that you are there to get the things on your list and you can not stop to show him everything. You also may want to explain to him that when he continues to ask for something that you have already told him that he can not have or that you do not have time to show him, that you get very aggravated and you do not like it. Of course, on the other side of that coin, you also should leave some extra time to be able to stop and talk to your son about things in the store that he finds especially interesting. Put yourself in his place and think about how you would feel if you were in a store where everything was new and exciting and the person you were there with wouldnt let you see or experience anything that caught your eye. It's no fun.

I also just want to express my intense disgust at some of these answers advising you to physically harm your child. That will do nothing but kill your son's spirit and innocence and teach him that you should be violent toward others who behave in a way that you do not like.

Answer 2

You cant stop a toddler from saying i want, It is how you react to it that matters. In the house it is not too bad, because you can ignore most of it, when my little girl say i want a drink, i say Would you like drink, and she says Yes, then i say whats the magic word, She then has to say please, in order for me to get up and make that drink, and i am immovable until she does. And when i finished making the drink she has to say thank you, or she will not receive the drink. Many a time i had to put sweets, biscuits and toys out off reach till she has said please, but the good thing about toddlers is if you are persistent, they quickly learn. Now she is a bit older before we go out, i say to her ` I want never gets'. Even if we have to time out, while we are out i will not give into wanting. She has a purse and i put a pound into it, we go to the shops and she has learn-ed she can spend the money on what she wants, but when it is gone, she gets no more. I wish you luck. Also it help to remember you are the parent, not his best friend, first you parent a child, and as they get older and leave home, they become your friends. Being a parent can be hard, but it is worth it in the end.

Answer 3

You very firmly say NO until he gets the message. And use the words STOP IT NOW or you wont get anything. Give the child structure and boundaries before he grows up and is a pain in the *** to everybody, including friends, grandparents and teachers.
Just saw your message, so if you're doing everything else right, then I would suggest to tell him just to stop after he says it more than twice. My granddaughter had this annoying habit of hopping when she asked for something, my daughter never notices I guess, but it drove me bunkers. Every time she started to ask for a cookie or anything and started hopping, I just said Stop it and walked away. Trust me, I think I did it three times and it was over.
No more hopping.

Answer 4

If you're not giving in to him at all then you're doing exactly what you should be doing!

I took my 2 yr old to the supermarket the other day & she was in a foul mood (she was tired), everything was "I want", I said no & she screamed the place down, it's so embarrassing & everyone was looking at me with that look that says "control your child!" I know it's not nice to hear a child screaming but if I give in she keeps doing it so why should I make my life harder just to please a few narrow minded shoppers?!

Anyway, eventually he'll realise that what he's doing doesn't work, I know that doesn't help right now but it's one of those things that you have to just keep ignoring!

Good luck!

Answer 5

i'm 15 and performance performed it 3 cases an afternoon for over 2 years. the in elementary words time I see a lot less sperm/semen is that if i attempt to do it too quickly when I've in simple terms performed it. If I wait some hours in between, no concern.

Answer 6

All kids go through that stage, it'll soon change to ' I need'. When my daughter went through this i would correct her by saying 'can i have a biscuit please' when she asked in this way i gave her lots of praise it does sink in in the end. As for repeating himself answer him no more than two times if he continues tell him mammy has already answered that question its now finished. Try and redirct him by talking about something different. Good luck as i no how annoying it can be.

Answer 7

My daughter is 27 months. They catch on to phrases and say them over and over again. At the moment my little girls is "whats that". Over and over again. She even asks it about things she already knows. Just be patient and try to chat to them. If he says I want my Grandma. You reply the same sentence until he stops. Eg. Yes son we are going to Grandmas now and you are going to have a great time, and describe what he will do in Grandmas. Works for me!

Answer 8

The others answered well. try to show some tough love and say no sometimes. If he sees you not always succumbing to the requests they will come less often. Besides it's healthy for a child to hear nos. As for when he is not even requesting anything, well good luck!

Answer 9

HaHA the joy of being a mother don`t worry he`ll grow out of it soon enough, and find something else to annoy you with .
It could be a lot worse at least he`s saying i want, he could be throwing himself on the floor and screaming the place down when he wants something.

Answer 10

First off, I would tell him that he will get nothing unless he says "May I please have" whatever it is he wants. My children used to be the same way. Always "I want." They learned quickly that unless they ask properly, that they would not get it. Also, let your son know that if he asks over and over he will not get it either. Children learn quickly how to get things. If you are persistant in teaching him the proper way to ask for things, he will catch on quickly. He may be a little hard to handle in the begining, but he will catch on.