Specific issue--won't stop when told to

[Allison]

What would you do?

4 year old and 2 year old are playing tag. 2 year old gets tired of playing and wants the game to stop but 4 year old won't stop.
I say, "He said he's ready to stop playing so do not tag him again." Four year old tags him again.

What do you say and do at that moment?

[MarynMunchkins]

Physically move the 4 yo and say "Stop. He's done." and then suggest another activity for everyone. :)

[ArmsOfLove]

I would state it more strongly and encourage the 2yo to run to you for protection and help him state it. "I'm done. I don't want to play anymore." If the 4yo has a hard time with transitions I might offer to let him tag me once or twice and then he has to be done too. And I'd offer something to move him to a new activity that doesn't involve so much physical. That might mean doing some jumping jacks or running in place while I count to 10 and then we read a book or he builds with blocks :)

[Marsha]

I would state it more strongly and encourage the 2yo to run to you for protection and help him state it. "I'm done. I don't want to play anymore." If the 4yo has a hard time with transitions I might offer to let him tag me once or twice and then he has to be done too. And I'd offer something to move him to a new activity that doesn't involve so much physical. That might mean doing some jumping jacks or running in place while I count to 10 and then we read a book or he builds with blocks :)


What a great idea! I'll try to remember that.
Do 3 and 4 year olds just DO this? We have a similar issue here, too. I have been looking at it as though my 3.5 yr old can't see other people's boundaries very well. But offering another physical activity to transition would work wonders with my active dd!

Sorry Allison to horn in on your post!

[Allison]

thanks mary and crystal! and np marsha! i could use more conversation about this whole super active 4 year old thing. drew has always been such a physical child.

[TulipMama]

I think it is great you are teaching your kids from an early age how to respect other people's "No"s and how to assert their own "no"s. *grin*

[raisa]

I've spent a lot of time with a super-active 4 yo and come across similar issues (outrunning/ outplaying all the other kids). One thing that's worked with us is a type of "Simon says." Like "ride your trike to the garage and honk the horn two times." Or "five jumping jacks" or "How long can you stand on one foot? Let's count to twenty." They seem to like games that involve counting, following instructions, and ritual.