So 2 nights ago, I was going through our usual bath time routine with the kids. As is so common lately with Holly, her answer to any question is becoming “no”.

Holly, time to get out of the bath ..... no.
Holly, can you listen to daddy ..... no.
Holly, if you don’t stand up, I’ll have to pick you up ..... no.

My default response is to get frustrated, resort to raising my voice which inevitably results in tears and unnecessary hysteria.

Nicola, tries to ‘coach’ me in these situations. Apparently, my expecting a 2 year old to understand logic and reason is expecting too much. Instead, I’m to try to use distraction rather than insistence, and inject ‘fun’ instead of get frustrated.

So back to 2 nights ago, when after the 4th ‘no’ at asking her to comply with the relatively simple request to exit the bath, I applied my cunning, and employ one of Nicola’s distraction techniques.

“Ok Holly” (I said calmly). “If you want to stay in the bath you can .... but I’m going to stop keeping the spiders away from coming to get you.”

Let’s just say she made her way into my arms with the speed and efficiency I’d been hoping for, and I had to conclude that Nicola was right ... distraction is better.

......... however ...... the last 2 nights have been a different experience.

We no longer have a problem getting her ‘out’ of the bath .... she’s developed a reluctance to get into it.

It turns out .... I’m damned if I do, and damned if I don’t. Nicola thinks it’s me that might have the issue with logic and reason