great thread everyone... oooo i can hardly wait till Olly hits 3, i thought i knew at last how to handle 2yo horror behaviour (on a good day i can handle it). i loved reading all your different strategies. these tactics have gotta be better than my neighbour's who screams at her 3 yo daughter "pick it up! what's wrong with you, are you stupid?" - i can hear it from my place with the door shut. and it doesn't work. maybe nothing works on her child, but if she ignored it/ asked for a cuddle instead, at least it wouldn't be causing more tension. good work mums!