My two-year-old daughter wanted her sister’s baby doll and wasn’t taking ‘no’ for an answer. I told my six-year-old to offer a similar toy for my toddler to play with. While this approach usually works, it didn’t this time.

As my two-year-old pulled on the arm of the baby doll, she started getting more upset.

“I want my baby!” my toddler yelled. My six-year-old wouldn’t let go. An epic meltdown was brewing.

Arms began to flail in the air.

My toddler let go of the baby doll as her arms flapped in the air in protest. Realizing that move didn’t work, it was time to amp it up.

At full-speed she ran and dove into the couch.

I looked at my six-year-old and tried to fight back a laugh. Slowly, my toddler pulled herself away from the couch and tried once again to get the baby doll. “I want my baby!”

“I am playing with this baby,” my six-year-old replied.

She threw herself face-first onto the ground.

“What is going on?” I asked myself.

She then rolled to her back and kicked her feet.

“Ok, enough,” I added trying to stop the insanity. “Can I see the baby doll?”

Reluctantly, my six-year-old handed me the baby doll. Seeing she might get what she wants, my toddler amazingly stopped freaking out and stood up. I then realized I was being played for a fool by a two-year-old.

I looked at my six-year-old and handed her the baby doll again. I leaned toward her and had an idea.

“Run! Just run!” I told my six-year-old. “She won’t be able to catch you.”

Without missing a beat, my daughter turned with the baby doll in her hand and ran out of the room, straight up the stairs. A surprised look came across my toddler’s face. Realizing the baby doll is gone, she decided to play with something else. Problem solved!

Running away from a toddler fit may not always be my go-to approach, but it definitely worked this time.