Saying Please

I always make DD say please and thankyou, I dont think it's ever to early to learn manners.
Most of the time she says it unprompted which is great.

I don't think 2 is too early Fiona, by the sounds of it Elle knows exactly what you are talking about and it's just another way of 'playing' us mums!!  It has been eaiser with Anastasia because "mother hen" Ashlyn does a lot of the teaching - good and bad, but we found it was just a matter of prompting the girls at the right time and not giving up - it has paid off for us and most of the time the girls use their manners except when trying to wind us up.

I decided I wouldn't give her a muslin until she said please today. She was whining on and on "muzzzzy, muzzzy".   She refused to say please and screamed and screamed until she broke out in hives on her face! Oh my goodness!

Could she be THAT stubborn or does she really not get it.

Whenever I remind her to say please she just says "yes".

She seems so bright and so good at communication and yet...well, doesn't get some very basic things. It is odd.

Ashlee says please and thank you unprompted now, and has for a while, so 2 isn't too early. Persistence is key, and like Rhyley, Ash knows that saying please gets her what she wants! Lots of praise after she uses her manners helps reinforce it. Sounds like Elle knows what she's doing! If I were you, I wouldn't give in until she said it. Might seem mean, but hopefully she'll get the picture soon that throwing a tantrum takes a longer time than saying please and getting what she wants straight away.

both my kids say please and thankyou...but it seems to happen more when they aren't prompted. if they don't say it and i remind them, it can take a while for it to come out

i can remember one time when jack was almost 2, he wanted something and he wasn't saying please, even though he usually did. i wasn't going to give in and had to wait 30mins before he finally said it!

She is testing you Fiona - and they really know how to push right to the limits, be strong and good luck

Tom has started to say Ta.....sometimes unprompted which really impresses me...but he has also worked out that "Ta" might just get what you want so he says it when he wants somethign too.  I am working on please, sounds like "cheese" so I let him off if he says "cheese".  Like you, I noticed he can say it when he isnt wanting something and its just copying a word but if he has to say it he WONT!!!

 

One thing I thought of is do we ALWAYS say please and thankyou with them and with others?  I know I dont and I have to make an effort or how can I expect him to.

 

Bottom line...2 is not too young....just dont expect it everytime and give lots of praise when she does.

So does that mean I need to leave her screaming her eyes out (and getting covered in stress hives - which she had never had before!)??

She seemed too worked up to be able to reason or say please yesterday.

She used to say thank you all the time but it has now stopped too.

yep I agree with Rach&Jack, you cant force her to say anything, all you can do is role model the behaviour ie: when you give her something say "thanks mum" or the good old "what do you say?".  We did this with Leo and most of the time he does it unprompted now, problem is he now thinks if he says please and bats his eyelashes he can get anything he wants lol.  Good luck Fiona, sounds like you have one determined wee girl there!!

Yeap she is strong willed! If she senses we really want her to do somthing she has an iron will and will refuse. If we stay casual she will eventually catch give in LOL.