Negotiations

I'm not the first, who believes, that if the world was run by mothers, it would have been a much better place.

My day is full of negotiations.
My son is deep in his horrible terrible twos, and I need to get creative about anything I want him to do.

The first and most important rule is to pick your battles.
If he wants to wear yesterday's little bit dirty pants, let him. If he insists on putting on his jacket only when you're already outside,  let him. If he only agrees on wearing the shoes after you told the shoes to be nice to him and not bother him, do it. (Yes, we're now all about clothes).

Second rule is stick to what you first said.
If you said it's the last show he's allowed to watch on TV, don't let him watch another one, no matter how much he begs. Same goes for chocolate or bedtime. There's a reason that's what you've decided in the first place, and once you said ok against your first decision, your word is worth much less.

Third, be creative and keep it fun.
If the only thing that convinced him to go bathe was the fact that you told him that his rubber animals need a bath, then bathe them properly with him, including the tooth brushing :-)
If all he wants is that you tell him the story you made up about his zoo stickers on his bed, then tell it again. And again.

My day is full of negotiations.
Sometimes it feels like it would have been easier to run the world.