If I get to 5 it’s a “timeout”

Jeni Dibley-Rouse - 19 Jan 16

Counting

I feel like I spend most of my life counting to 5, this can start from 6:30am and not finish till the last minute of the bedtime battle and if the counting fails the dummy threat is always a winner.

So when we need to perform a simple task we say we will count to 5 and if we make it to 5 a “it’s time out” but it rarely gets to that. Obviously any logical adult would just do the task in hand but we are dealing with a toddler here.
My initial thoughts is why couldn’t you just do the task without counting, next is am I going to be counting for the rest of my life.

Things we count for
Getting dressed – this can involve various counting sessions as there are pants, jeans, t shirt, jumper and socks.

Brushing teeth and washing face

Putting shoes on – 2 lots of counting

Putting coat on

Getting into the car – loads of counting as he gets distracted by leaves, snails, bins, bricks and basically anything that isn’t getting in the car.

Getting into the car seat – loads of jumping around the car, touching all the buttons in the car, insisting on opening windows before we get in the car.

Eating lunch – loads for this, usually for slow eating and sometimes a timer has to be set.

Eating dinner – same as lunch but slightly worse as he is tired.

Going to bed – this can be broken down into getting up the stairs, entering bedroom and not running off, selecting 2 books only this usually ends up in a tantrum as always wants more and actually getting into bed.

Tidying toys – to be fair sometimes you have to pick your battles and this one can be hours of counting.

The best thing I’ve noticed is he is pretty casual about from 1-3 and minimal effort to perform the task is put in then 4 becomes a little bit more panicked and then if I say 5 and he feels it’s not justified I get “Why did you say 5” ………

I fear over the next couple of months my main vocabulary will be counting and shhhhing trying to get newborn to nap whilst controlling a toddler …….pass the wine!

Jeni Dibley-Rouse

I'm a mum of two children, Joe (5) and Grace (2), married to the husband and I quit my job of 15 years in post production TV (mainly working in advertising with a few documentaries) to run the family full time. I enjoy laughing through every phase of being a parent with the Joe and Grace.   I look on the brighter side of life 99% of the time. I'm aways on Instagram doing an insta story of our day to day life so if you fancy it come and follow us over there too @everythingisaphase

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