Mostly I stick to consequences that I know I can carry through - eg losing treats, not getting a bedtime story etc, but I must admit I have to use reverse psychology on my 3 year old when he won't come and get ready to go out.

Example - he loves nursery, but if I tell him he has to come and put his shoes on to go to nursery, he always says he doesn't want to go. So, I pick up the phone and tell him I am calling the teacher to say he is not coming and he immediately runs to get his shoes.

Also short of physically picking him up and carrying him, the only way I can get him to come sometimes when we are out is to say that I am going without him, and pretend to start leaving the shop, or wherever. It sounds cruel, but as he comes running and shouting, "wait for me", he is always laughing or smiling, never worried I would actually leave him. Its just a sort of ritual we go through.