1,2,3..........!

In my disciplinary efforts with my girl, I rely on my early warning system ie 1,2,3.........!

"Stop tearing the book/beating baby/throwing your toys/jumping on the bed etc or you will get the stick(rotan) on the count of 3. 1,2,3..........!"

"Don't play in the bathroom too long. I'm switching the lights off on the count of 3. 1,2,3........!"

Works everytime! Any naughty activity is usually stopped on the count of 3 without tears or further shouting or scolding. Sometimes she even asks me to count!

Apart from stopping naughty acts in the tracks, I also use it for other purposes:

To tell her its almost time to stop playing

"Ok. You can play with this/that 3 more times. 1,2,3.....!

Works like a charm. She will stop whatever it is she was playing happily without a whine/complaint. Anyway, I do find that ending an activity/switching to another activity is met with much less resistance when you tell them beforehand instead of abrubtly. Baby is beggining to pick up this system too, counting along with me/us 1,2,3.....!

To hurry things along

"Come on and get dressed/wear your shoes. We''ll be late. Hurry! Come here now. I'm counting to 3. 1,2,3....!"

And she would appear like magic!