What to try
- Give an example of how your toddler can get your attention in a way you prefer.
- You could say something like, “I think you want to talk to me. Say, ‘Daddy’. Then you can tell me.”
- Where possible, offer your toddler other ways to get involved in a conversation if they repeat something you’d prefer they didn’t.
- Explain simply and clearly why you can’t let your child keep doing these actions now.
Good to know
Turning an instruction into a positive statement can be easier for your toddler to understand – so rather than, “Don’t jump,” You could say, “Stand still,” or “Feet on the floor.” This brings your toddler’s attention to the thing you want them to do, rather than the thing you are asking them to stop doing.