What to do about a 2 year old sticking out her tongue?

[AC7179]

Okay my two year old is my spirited child, for sure. She is a pistol. She is bright and imaginative but not necessarily the easiest child around.

Her new deal is sticking her tongue out. I have tried everything. I explained that it wasn't nice, I punished her, to no avail. The last time I punished her, she put her hand on mine and sweetly said, "Oh, Mama.....I wasn't sticking my tongue out. I was just pretending to be a lizard, see?" My new mode of operation is to just ignore her.

HOWEVER, the problem in that scenario is my 13 year old drama queen. Four times already this morning she has SHRIEKED at the 2 year old to quit sticking her tongue out at her, and how could she do that when the 13 year old was always SOOOOOOOOOO nice to her, and how mean the 2 year old was, etc. I have told the 13 year old multiple times to just ignore her. Pretend like she doesn't see her and she the little one will not get hte reaction that she is wanting. Instead, the 13 year old is getting all ticked off and playing into the 2 year old's evil plot.

I realize in the big scheme of things this is not a huge deal, but my kids are SO getting on my nerves this morning and it is only 9.

 

[Maleficent13]

I'm sorry, but Your best bet is to convince the 13yo to ignore it.

 

[Spinning]

We never had that situation but the one thing that seemed to cure my DS of all his bathroom noises at the dinner table along with burping etc....We asked him to leave the table and go to the bathroom. He could go in there and make all the loud yucky noises he wanted. We only had to do it a few times. We never yelled just said in a calm voice, "You may do all you want of that in the bathroom...." at first he thought it was funny then quickly grew tired of it.

You could do the same for her, She can go into the bathroom or bed room where there is a mirror and make all the funny faces she wants.

 

[Katnmouse]

MMMMOMMMMM she's touching me, she's touching me!

I'm sorry I know its not a laughing matter but I know how dramatic those young teens are and EVERYTHING is a personal assault on them.

 

[KadysMom]

I am not the nicest mother out there, but when my DD started that phase, i took her in the bathroom and told her to stick her tongue out. Then i wiped a bar of soap on it.... Not and issue any more!!!

 

[MrsPete]

If you want the behavior to stop, punish her for it. Punish her EVERY TIME she does it. Time out, spanking, whatever YOU deem appropriate for a 2-year old's punishment. The punishment must be something she doesn't like, and she must know that when she sticks out her tounge, the punishment will follow swiftly and certainly.

If this is really a habit, she'll probably need to be punished twice to show her that you're serious, then she'll test you in a week or so to see if you're going to follow through.

If you allow her to "rationalize" about pretending to be a lizard (even though that IS funny), prepare for trouble ahead.

 

[irishbosoxfan]

My now 9 yr old was horrible about sticking out her tongue--she did it to everyone,everywhere but she was a cat and would prove it to us by licking herself.

I got tired of it real quick and whenever I seen her stick it out--I would grab it. And hold it while I reminded her that it wasn't allowed--It took about a week but she finally figured it out.

 

[mickeyboat]

Is she sticking it out because she thinks it is funny, or is she being snotty? I don't think it would be too hard to tell the difference.

Personally, unless she is being snotty or disrespectful, I would not punish her sticking out her tongue. Your 13 year old should be able to tell the difference, too. What is to horrible about it - unless she is doing it at inapproriate times, like at the dinner table.

If she is doing it to be snotty, you definitely need to punish her - 1-2-3 Magic is a great system of counting and time outs.

Denae

 

[babytrees]

I always stuck my tongue back at my kids.

Sorry it worked for me.

You do have a drama queen on your hands.....the thing is as soon as your 2 yr old stops doing the tongue sticking out I bet the 13 year old will still find something to hyperventilate over.

My two have been driving each other nuts....maybe there's something in the air??

 

[goofinoff]

My aunt had this problem years ago with her son. She put a dot of tabasco sauce on his tounge and it quickly solved the problem. If he got fresh after that, all she had to do was grab the bottle of sauce and he would stop.

 

[huckster]

well shes 2.. and the other is 13... 13 is at the age of reason the 2yr is not anywhere close to age of reason i would ingnore the 2 when they do it and find out why 13 is "really" bothered by the 2 yr old.. the more you get involed the bigger the little problem grows..
as for soap in the mouth of a 2 yr old shame on that person.
dont sweat the small stuff

 

[Hannathy]

To the poster with the soap, that's exactly what popped into my mind to!!!. I'd keep a bar in my pocket. I like the grabbing it also.

My other suggestion and one I utilize is tell the 2 yr old and the 13 yr old that it is between them but I'm not going to yell at the 13 yr old when "she deals with it her way" Then turn your back and let the 13 yr old deal with it. I tell my DS 8 and my 15 yr DD this when he's bugging her, I say keep it up and she is going to kill you and I don't blame her. When he goes to far and she retaliates and he comes crying I say I told you to stop maybe next time you will learn. It only took a couple times now when he gets to this point and I say that, he stops pestering her. Kids aren't dumb, they are just kids.

 

[Jennasis]

Soap for the @ year old.

PAtience for the 13 year old HAHAHA!! At that age EVRYTHING is an issue.

 

[tiff211]

get the scissors and threaten to cut it off! They believe everything at that age!

 

[Bob Slydell]

I'm sorry, but Your best bet is to convince the 13yo to ignore it.

What Mal said

 

[melk]

Make her bite a lemon wedge every time she does it. Worked for my nephew who bit other little kids.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

My aunt had this problem years ago with her son. She put a dot of tabasco sauce on his tounge and it quickly solved the problem. If he got fresh after that, all she had to do was grab the bottle of sauce and he would stop.

My parents used black pepper. I hate black pepper to this day. (I do like tabasco, though )

 

[TiggerTails57]

I can think of much worse stuff a two year old could be doing!!
Bribe the 13 year old to ignore her........that way she gets something she wants for her trouble!

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

well shes 2.. and the other is 13... 13 is at the age of reason the 2yr is not anywhere close to age of reason i would ingnore the 2 when they do it and find out why 13 is "really" bothered by the 2 yr old.. the more you get involed the bigger the little problem grows..
as for soap in the mouth of a 2 yr old shame on that person.
dont sweat the small stuff

Really? Do you really think this is a horrible punishment? DS said a 4 letter word the other day and I stuck him in the bathroom with a bar of soap in his mouth for 5 minutes. He's still alive......

 

[bevtoy]

I always stuck my tongue back at my kids.

Sorry it worked for me.

You do have a drama queen on your hands.....the thing is as soon as your 2 yr old stops doing the tongue sticking out I bet the 13 year old will still find something to hyperventilate over.

My two have been driving each other nuts....maybe there's something in the air??

Naw its just an art, kids are practiced at the art of torment. Who ever gets the other to shriek the loudest wins.