Is three too young for tough love? Honestly I’m not sure BUT I do use my own version of tough love on Aidan, and so far so good.

Aidan is a smart little bugger. He understands much more than I expected of a three-year-old. An old soul I think.But at the end of the day he is still a “baby” everything is still so new to him and I figure its up to me to teach him that actually, sorry to say, the world doesn’t revolve around him.

Far too many people learn this late in life (some still haven’t learnt this)
I’m no child expert BUT I’m observant…I realise that people who can’t laugh at themselves have a hard time navigating through life, so I laugh at him (not inappropriately, don’t worry I’m not a monster) BUT if he does something silly I will laugh with him and tell him that he was being funny/silly I also let him see me laugh at myself and his dad does the same.

I want him to know that everyone makes mistakes and that you can pick yourself up and try again. Apart from laughing at him I also beat him at games…honestly I don’t “let him win”.

Tick Tac Toe or Ching Chong Cha and any age appropriate games, If I win I win! hehehe and the funny thing is I don’t always win. He now knows that sometimes you win sometimes you lose, that’s life. It makes winning so much more special. (I do go easy on him though, I’m not like playing dodge ball and hitting him in the face with the ball then doing a happy dance around his little body, hahahaha – are you currently concerned about the fact that this came up in my mind)
Its more like hey sorry little child, rock beats scissors, that’s how it is, I won, shame. Lets try again and maybe you will win next time.
I’m also big on teaching him that his actions have consequences (this one is hard for me because it always ends up affecting me)

Like if you didn’t put your play dough back like your mother asked so nicely (nicely is really relative) Then you are going to come back to dry play dough that you cant use and will have to wait until she feels like making more. The same for leaving your cloud dough outside , because bugs will climb in there and the cold morning air will make it soggy and shame no more cloud dough for you.
I do this because I love this child with every inch of my being (I’m not that tall soooo maybe every inch of a NBA basketball players body-that sounds perverse, just go with me here).
I really love him and want the best for him and sometimes the best is a little tough love…

Do you use tough love? Tell me how