Just wondering if any of you have found any effective methods of disciplining your toddlers?
Alex who will be turning 2 1/2 next month is really starting to try and show his authority with back-talking (mostly to my hubby), refusing to sit in 'time-out' and last night he would not go to sleep unless I laid with him, which I did for 20min. At that point he was still not asleep and I just left. Well, he freaked out and continually came out of his bed. My husband had to put him back 10 times before he fell asleep.

Nothing seems to work anymore. We've tried the time-outs, naughty corner, etc. The only thing that I've started doing is taking away favourite toys for an hour or so....it seems to help a little.

Any suggestions??

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This is not in reply to your question but OMG! He is soooo cute, I just looked at your pictures

I agree he is a cutie! Those techniques you mentioned - naughty corner - time out they sound familiar to me from a show I watch on Monday nights - Nanny 911 - Have you seen the show? She deals with the "not eating, not sleeping, back talking little ones. I personally like the advice she gives and even though I have a little one who is to tiny to do those things I find it very helpful. I bought her book for easy reference.

I found the nanny's techniques good too but with mikey I went with dr. phil on somethings. LOL!! If Mikey back talks or doesn't listen to me I take a toy away. If he's real bad I throw it out. (Iget it later abd put it away) if he's naughty but not awful he can earn it back. When he is real good. Like when I tell him he has to stop watching his favorite show to get his diaper changed and he does it with no problem he gets a sticker. So far it's been working here. Although I will be posting a topic in a minute. He has been telling my husband that he doesn't like him and he needs to go back to work. I told him n but my husband said he shouldn't get in trouble for a feeling. He thinks it's because he was traveling in the beginning of the week.

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Thanks for the responses and compliments.
Jenna- Those are good ideas you mentioned. And we have 'pretended' to throw out favourite toys and he just mocks us. He just imitates what we say in a condescending tone, if you can believe it.
The last couple of weeks have been really difficult with his behaviour. I know he isn't feeling the greatest with his cold but some days I think to myself "do I really want another baby".

And Jenna, Alex gets really mean sometimes with Jamie too. He also will tell Jamie to go to work or refuse to give Jamie a hug and kiss sometimes. But other times he just wants his daddy. I hope it's just a stage.

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See Mike pretends to throw out his toys and Mikey knows it. So Mike can talk until he's blue in the face, mikey doesn't listen. At this point he knows not to test me.
It is hard when they are sick. Mikey has been tough too. I know my friend Gina; her son was so tough that she saays she doesn't want another either. Now he is getting easier and the other day I asked her if she is thinking about it yet. And she said the first two years with Cody was so tough; she doesn't want to go through that again. We always wanted three or four children. But Payton is so tough and was so colick that I don't know if I want to do that again.
I wonder if it's a boy and daddy thing and has nothing to do with traveling. I wonder if boys get jealous and like there mommy's to themselves when daddy is at work. Hmm that would make sense.

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I agree with you about boys being close to their mommies and it's almost like a competition between the son and dad for mommy's attention.

I watch the SuperNanny show sometimes, and I like her too and we've tried the whole naughty corner thing and Alex thinks it's a big joke. He just won't stay there, no matter how many times we put him back. He either crys and screams or he thinks it's funny and laughs everytime we put him back. He will even take off and run through the house until we catch him.

I just don't know what to do anymore. I also try not to yell because we have yelled at him in the past and it's just turning him into a "yeller". So, these days I'm trying to be a lot more calm.

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So does that mean my daughter will hate me eventually? Oh I hate not. Although now she is so clingy I could not even imagine.
I make Mikey sit on the step. So far he stays. He will cry but he stays. I hope not to be a yeller. Mike's mom was a yeller. Half the time she just sounded crazy. I don't want to be like that.

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Our time-out chair usually works well with our dd. Now all I have to say is your going to timeout if you don't stop and she will usually stop..not always though. She slowly becoming more stubborn. She recently emptied her book shelves and I told her to pick them up or I was going to throw them away and she said ok then preceded to pick them up and take them to the trash so that doesn't work for us. I've been finding many things in the trash lately.

Ugh I hate when they call my bluff. LOL!!! She must have a favorite toy. Use that one and see if she calls you on it

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Momof2- How do you get your daughter to stay put in her 'timeout chair'??

Alex used to stay in his timeout corner, but now that's he a little older and wiser, he will not stay in one spot. Even if we tell him we're starting all over with his 2 min. timeout, he will just run away and/or scream and fuss and make a really big deal about it. My husband will continually put him back and we do this over and over until the two minutes is up, but it's so frustrating.

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My little brother was a terror at that age... always making "prison breaks" before he was "paroled"

YMMV but what worked for me, was removing the option of him being able to go elsewhere. When he's put in time-out, explain why he's being put there, and why he needs to stay there. And let him know that if he _can't_ stay there, you have no qualms about helping him stay there. If (when) he gets up w/o permission, bring his carseat or high chair over to your time-out area, and strap him in (a coupla gates or an empty playpen works just as well). If he'd scream/fuss, I'd tell him I knew timeout wasn't fun and he didn't want to be there, but he had been naughty and that was the price. If he continued to scream/fuss, I'd keep my cool and not re-act to it. I'd also put an eggtimer in, set it and tell him that when it went off, time-out would be over. It took about ten days, but we hit the point where a timeout was needed, and all I'd have to say is "you can sit in time out, or I can help you sit in timeout. What do you want to do?" and he'd stay in his normal chair.

I've been told that's cruel, but I don't think so... and I know it was, for me, a lot more effective than chasing him down and putting him back into the chair repeatedly until the time was up.

I have no clue how & why she sits so well. We just gave timeout a try one day and it worked great. I set a timer for 2min she now sits there after the timer goes off. We tell her she can get up now and she says NO. I think she's trying to make a point herself after the times up. She's always been a really good listener and good kid overall. We started using the word 'stop' when she was young and never had to baby proof with her. She also hardly ever put things in her mouth. Now my son is another story. We are going to have to baby proof big time when he gets mobile and I bet he'll be eating dirt and rocks this spring.

Mom of 2 it sounds like our kids are exactly the same. Mikey doesn't get up from time out either and he's a good kid. He's never put anything in his mouth, we never had to baby proof the house oe move any of my knick knacks. Payton on the other hand put everything in her mouth and with the walker already started knocking knick knacks down

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It's amazing how different your first two kids are!