I am a single mom, and I live on bribery. I do agree with other posters about consistency and routine, making your life a lot easier. I do agree that a 10 minute warning helps. But I would sit down and calmly explain that she needs to come in at X time. If she can do that quickly and without a fuss, you will have plenty of time for dinner and dessert. If she makes a fuss, you will sadly only have time for dinner.

1. Call out warnings (10min, 5min). This way he starts to mentally prepare.

2. If he wines he does NOT go outside the following day (or following night weather day). This will most likely only need to happen once before he gets it.

3. Follow through. No matter what consequence you make, follow through.

Agree with an agreed upon time ahead of time, maybe even with a 15 minute reminder.

If dinner isn't ready surely there's something she can do to help - set the table, read for school, help with a sibling.

The consequence for fussing about it is no play time the following day.

Thanks for asking this question and for the pps. We struggle with this as well.

Anonymous wrote:Just set a time that is the "this is when you come in" time. It's not dinner, play, shower, play, etc. It's "at 6 PM, you're in for the evening. Then do start the evening routine with dinner.

If she doesn't come in at the appointed time, then no playing outside the next day.

+1. Children work best with a consistent schedule. Set a time and stick with it.

You could also ty a rewards chart. Every day she comes in without a fight, she gets a sticker. 10 stickers and she gets a trip to an extra fun playground, indoor play place, whatever, to show that you can trust her to leave when it’s time to go.

You have to be consistent. If you sometimes give in and let her stay out longer, then she will push and whine every single day. So either set a schedule that she has to be in at the same time every day, or explain that she comes in right away or no playing tomorrow. And then stick to it. Remind her that if she doesn’t come in, she can’t play outside tomorrow.

My son was the same way about leaving playgrounds or the pool. I’d give him several warning (10 mins, 5 min etc) but he would run away from me and I’d be chasing after him with a younger sibling. So I told him if he doesn’t leave when it’s time, we won’t go back. I explained I can’t get him down off the equipment or out of the pool when I’m holding the baby, so we will have to stay at home. It only took a couple of times for him to know I was serious. He does still whine a little, but he walks willingly to the car instead of me having to drag him kicking and screaming.

Just set a time that is the "this is when you come in" time. It's not dinner, play, shower, play, etc. It's "at 6 PM, you're in for the evening. Then do start the evening routine with dinner.

If she doesn't come in at the appointed time, then no playing outside the next day.

Anonymous wrote:Ask her to help you set up reasonable rules for playing outside. Write them out together. She'll feel invested in the process and will be more likely to follow rules she's set.

Nudge her towards rules you want. Let her know information that will be helpful, like "When I say it's time to come in for dinner, that means you'll be inside for an hour, at least."

I like this a lot. I feel she may be receptive to this. Also, the playing a game/reading/playing together idea after showering. We never seem to have time left to play since the battle takes so long.

Anonymous wrote:The other kids whine and tantrum and push, too.

I appreciate that. I feel like I’m all alone!

Ask her to help you set up reasonable rules for playing outside. Write them out together. She'll feel invested in the process and will be more likely to follow rules she's set.

Nudge her towards rules you want. Let her know information that will be helpful, like "When I say it's time to come in for dinner, that means you'll be inside for an hour, at least."

The other kids whine and tantrum and push, too.

bath bombs.

Don't threaten anything you're not willing to follow through on.

Let the tantrum happen and do not give in.

Set a timer so she gets mad at timer and not at you.

Make the after-dinner or after-shower time rewarding in some way... read out loud to her (book of her choice), play a game together, watch a show together.

Help! I’m having a hard time getting my 6yo kid to come in from playing at the end of the day. I need strategies, please!

Trouble is, if I call her in for dinner, she rushes through it thinking she can go back outside. If I tell her she needs to sit and eat, playtime is over, I get an overtired tantrum.

If the issue is it’s time to come in and shower, I get crying and begging and pleading and “10 more minutes, pleeease?”

If I then punish from playing the next day, I have a day of crying and pleading with me to let her out.

I’m a single mom, and I admit most of this is my own fault. Giving in has been easier than fighting. But summer hasn’t even begun and I’m already exhausted from the begging and crying. The other kids, when their mom calls them, just head home and go in. I get, “But mom, pleeease, 10 more minutes?” and worse pouting if she is made to come inside.

I need firmer rules, I know. I’m lost as to how to set them up now! Please, help!