A lot of the things we need children to do are much more boring than what they had in mind. A child may be so desperate to go out to play that pausing to put in a coat seems intolerable. Or maybe finishing the peas is not as exciting as going back to the toys.

It is perfectly OK to gently insist – getting into a big battle of wills is often a really good way to lose, though.

As always, distraction is worth a try.

It can also help if your child can understand the sequence of events – shoes, coat, play! You can put this into stories, into a drawing – any way that helps your child realise you have to do the “bad bit” first

Sometimes, children are bothered by things we don’t see. A pair of shoes might pinch, and a toddler can’t tell you this in words – instead they “behave it”. Check that there isn’t something bothering your child

Lastly, it can work to give the child some control. For example, they are going to tidy up, but they decide where to start. Toddlers love bossing adults around, so sometimes asking them to tell you what to do can work and then they join in.