how many times do you repeat yourself

I am most certain that this is something that every parent deals with...selective hearing as I like to call it! I think kids want to see how much they can get away with...and this holds true at any age...they are constantly testing their limits. How useful is it to later be able to say...I didn't hear you say that! I think the only way to really deal with it is to calmly repeat yourself until even your child is sick of hearing it. I do this to my son and eventually I get the irritated "I KNOW" from him....but the good part is...he knows. Good Luck...I know keeping your patience with it is not an easy task!

I just said that to my daughter today. I shouldn't have to say things 10 times in order for her to listen. It is so frustrating and I am really sick of it. I am trying really hard to be firm with her but nothing is working, she is still walking all over me. So believe me I hear yah.

Tell me about it. I have to tell my son everything, sometimes more than 3 times. Only just now, "get off the computer, go and brush your teeth, get ready for bed, GO to bed!!! It is relentless. I remember I had a meeting with his teacher a few years ago and he said he had to tell him more than once to do something. I honestly just think that is the way he is. For a while I use to drop him off at a friends who would take him to school. She told me one day that she had to tell him 20 minutes before they left for school to get his shoes on, otherwise they were late.LOL I don't think in all the 13 years of his life has he ever done something the first time I have asked, so I sympathise with you whole heartedly poppoppop!! Your username is funny, as you have repeated yourself 3 times:0)

I repeat myself at least 900 times a request. No joke either. By 500 I'm about livid and hate that it takes that much to get him to do something....

oh my god i feel the same way about my daughter. she's going on two and she has already hit the terrible twos . i have to tell her things at least 5 times before she will actually do them,i just thought it was me that was going through this. the only thing i know how to do is go in the bathroom and pray about it cause it gets really frustrating. just hang in there because i think we all did this sort of thing to our parents i just think we're more understanding than our parents generation.

With my kids they are young, but at the same time I want them to know that I am not playing with them so I give them three chances. I tell them twice and if they don't do it the third time they better run because I am coming to get you. Kids hear what they want to hear and then wonder why they are always getting in trouble.

i say things 2 times. if they still don't choose to hear me they get to sit down for a couple minutes until they "get there ears back" it has really helped and i dont have to say things a million times for them to hear me.

Record yourself!I've done it and it works....it also saves your voice and nerves.....LOL

Oh geez pop, my husband and I just went through this a few minutes ago! We have 3 kids, one is 11, one is 4, and our son is 18 months. We swear the only one who listens to us the first time is our 18 month old! We can repeat things up to five times, but I'd have to say the average is 3. If it's nothing important we stop after 3, as my dad always said..."Don't waste your breathe, you may need it for later." LOL Now I know what he meant!