My son says "NO" to everything!?

Question

He's 2 yrs old
I tell him we're going to so and so's house "NO, it's too late, it's getting dark" (it's like 12:00 in the after noon)
I say, Daddy's coming home soon! Yay! "NO, he's not!"
I say here's your pasta "NO, it's not pasta!"
I tell him you have to put on your shoes, we're leaving - "NO, we're not leaving"
or just plain old NO when I tell him to stop doing this or that. Even when I am nice and say it in a non-bossy way.

Should I fight this and try to make him stop? What do you do?

Answer 1

This is completely normal and in fact it is almost a toddler's job to say "NO" as much as possible. He is just testing out the idea of saying, "No" even when he doesn't mean it. I would say just go on with what you are doing and ignore the fact he is saying no. He still hears you. And since you're the parent and he is only two, you should be "the boss," so don't worry about sounding bossy. Your voice and however you talk to your child is going to become the inner voice that tells him what to do when he is older. So you have to make sure the voice is saying responsible things.

Answer 2

Congradulations! What a smart assertive liitle guy you are raising. My son also is doing the same. I have found that the best way to engage is to add humor to the situation. If my son were to say "No! its not pasta" then i would reply with "Oh, well here is your PB&J" not only will your son give you a look that coomunicates how funny you are he will be so caught off gaurd that the No! will soon end. On rare occasions I do give in to a No! Example: ask questions where a no answer is completely sutable such as "Do you want to wear these red socks?" (be sure to do it a time when no one is rushed it may take a while) Keep offering different pairs untill he finds one he likes. Eventually you will get a yes. Thus avoiding a tantrum and giving your son an awsome example of the correct way to use the word. You will also notice quite a bit of pride on his face that he made such an important decision!
I am definatly impressed with him telling you how its to late to do somthing. If you can take a moment to teach a quick lesson about telling time or the sun and moon. Engageing him will work wonders!
I have also found that if my son becomes argumenitive the best thing is to lower your body so your eyes are level with your sons, and talk very quietly. They will asume that they need to hear it if you were thoughtful enough to squat down, and the wispering will give them a chance to be quiet and truly hear what you are trying to say.
Last but not least don't focus on the bad praise the good. For every 20 No!'s your son says the most important will be the time he say yes cooperativly and you make a HUGE deal about it!
Good luck!

Answer 3

Is he saying no and then refusing to do as you ask?

As in you say: Son, pick up that toy for mommy please.
Son: NO! and walks away.

Does he actually disobey and give you a hard time, if so I suggest you let him scream no all he wants from a Time out or as you take down his pants and pop his bottom with something like a plastic comb. Dont entertain disobedience and outright refusal.

If he's just saying No and still eating his food, still acknowledging his father, not fighting you when you take him to so and so's place, and all that, Then just be extra assertive on what words mean, not forcefully. But when reading to him, say look at the picture of this bear, son.
When he says No, not a bear.
Just say, yes. This is a bear. Hug him gently and ignore his insisting its not.

Soon he'll learn mama knows whats what and that will be that.

Answer 4

nicely, you're making it look love it extremely is a ten twelve months old toddler in spite of if it extremely is a youthful toddler then some issues ought to alter. if i got here upon my son staring at porn on a working laptop or laptop below my roof, that laptop could be bumped off, he could have parental watches on it, or he could have supervised time to apply it, because of the fact needless to say he's no longer it good. If I heard my toddler say something so disgusting and foul as that at the same time as utilising an xbox that xbox could be interior the garbage, or taken away for a stable 2 months until he found out the thank you to apply it good. seems such as you have one uncontrolled toddler, to no longer be impolite yet you're to blame, you should step up and be a parent.

Answer 5

Try giving him a choice --- not a choice of not doing what you ask, but of how to do it. For example--- would you like to put on your blue shirt or your green one? Which cup do you want your milk in?

With my kids, I found that not asking a "yes-no" question eliminated a lot of "no" answers. If it is not possible to give a choice, then give him some warning of when something will occur ---- In 5 minutes we have to go to the store. And then just move him along --put his coat on, take him by the hand and go

And for those times that he just says "no" to anything you say, don't argue with him about it.

Answer 6

I'm usually not tolerant about kids misbehaved actions, but this is a phase. This is one to be ignored. Just keep telling him what you are doing and when he says no, just do it anyway. Keep feeding him spaghetti and when he says it isn't just put it in front of him. I know it's annoying, but he will grow out of it. He is just repeating when you tell him no to things, but you are supposed to say no to him, it will teach him limits.

Answer 7

That's what 2 year olds do best--they are asserting their independence,which is good.But it is tough on the parents.Hence,the 'terrible twos'.
This too shall pass.

Then one day he will be 16 and asking for the car keys,and you'll WISH he were 2 again!
Best wishes.

Answer 8

Don't fight it. He'll eventually figure out the difference between Yes and No. I have a 17-month old and everything we ask him, he shakes his head no.

Answer 9

LOL my son did that too...I'd say you want some M&M's? NO!

It was ridiculous! I finally got him to learn that when I tell him something he is to look at me and say OK without arguing. Don't get me wrong, this took MONTHS. I just put him time-outs for telling me No when I told him to do something and told him he needs to say OK and do it. Practice makes perfect, when he is in time-out have him practice following directions (for example say "touch your nose" and have him look at you say OK and touch his nose...when he does tell him Great Job! and let him go play. Repeat :)

Answer 10

Children go through those phases. Especially terrible two's age. Trust me, eventually something he wants you wil offer him and he will have to say yes! He'll grow out of it, it just takes time.