your toddler's not going to take you seriously. >> reporter: here is how it works. instead of saying no to everything. you pick three non-negotiable nos. for marla, standing in the bathtub, no no. same for throwing food from the highchair. and trying to eat the dog's food. rest of the time she relies on the art of distraction. of course there is always the look. do you give her the no look? you know what i am talking about. >> i do. >> reporter: could this be the answer for all of us moms who are tired of sounding like a broken record? >> no, no, no. >> i feel better about myself, as a mom. >> reporter: don't expect elliott to stop saying the word any time soon. abbie boudreau, los angeles, abc news. >> just wait. >> i know. i keep hearing, wait until devin says no back. it's called positive parenting. here are tips instead of saying the word no. it's all about redirecting. instead of no, you can't have a cookie.