It really depends on what. I can’t tell my 3 year old to “stop crying”, that would be worse than useless. I can tell him he needs to sit on his bed until he’s calm. I can tell him not to hit me, but I need consequences and consistency for months until it finally works and he restrains himself. We have a foundation of trust and a general understanding that there are dangers out in the world, so if we tell him to stop and get away from a hazard he listens because he trusts our judgement, but that only works for me and my partner.
So can you just tell a toddler to do something and they do it? Yes, some people, sometimes, for some things.
It really depends on what. I can’t tell my 3 year old to “stop crying”, that would be worse than useless. I can tell him he needs to sit on his bed until he’s calm. I can tell him not to hit me, but I need consequences and consistency for months until it finally works and he restrains himself. We have a foundation of trust and a general understanding that there are dangers out in the world, so if we tell him to stop and get away from a hazard he listens because he trusts our judgement, but that only works for me and my partner.
So can you just tell a toddler to do something and they do it? Yes, some people, sometimes, for some things.
Maybe.