Quote Originally Posted by loads'o'kids View Post
Thank you all for your advice. I think I know that I just have to stand firm and strong but sometimes by the end of the week this one really tires me out!! Today she ran away from me at the mall and said after "I just wanted to run away from you!"
Oh wow ~ ya not acceptable for the child to be taking off from the group specially at that age ~ she should have mastered simple safety rules by this point

If I cannot trust a child to obey the safety rules we do not leave the house until they are managing HERE and when we tried again to that child would literally be in a harness attached to my stroller so the option to 'take off' would not present itself lest she wanted to trip herself in her attempt and she would have to 'earn' her independence back by showing me she could be trusted and respectful!

I also agree with Cfred ~ there would be no 'wiggle room' on the rules with a child like you are describing who constantly in the mode to 'tests' the rules ... my expectations for behavior would be made clear at each transition and there would be no 'reminders or chances' for her if she pushed the envelope and misbehaved there would be immediate consequences ~ no reminders or 1,2,3 magic type things!