My 27 month old boy decided to drink a capri sun juice drink and spit it out on my kitchen floor. I have one of those simple swiffer wet mops, where all you do is put the wet cloth on it and sweep. Well, I made him wipe the mess up. But my main question is, will he take it as punishment or think, "Hey this is fun, let's do it again!"? Or, was that just mean of me to make him do it, because I don't think so. I told him that if he wants to make big boy messes, that he can clean them up like a big boy. I already teach him to help pick up his toys.
2006-08-22 12:05:28 · 26 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
Thanks for all the great answers so far, I feel very supported. I work at a movie rental place, and over half the kids that come in there, either run around or pick up stuff and don't put it back where it goes. If my son picks up something he puts it right back in the same spot he picked it up from. . I already have him saying "Please!" and "Thank You!" I have very few customers let a lone their children saying please or thank you. I was brought up like that, so it is a habit to say those things.
2006-08-22 12:19:38 · update #1
I think having him help clean up the mess he made is a logical consequence of his actions. Hopefully it will help to teach him to be responsible and will also help to teach him skills he'll need in life to help keep a home up! Great job!
2006-08-22 13:31:46 · answer #1 · answered by momma2mingbu 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Being almost 2 1/2 yrs. old , he's learning new things each day and will pick up on things he see.. By now, he knows what the words yes and no means, but he will not understand exactly what a punishment is. Keep up what you're doing, he will get the message sooner or later especailly when he gets too tire of cleaning up his mess. "Hey this is fun" won't last too long after he realize that he is redoing it over and over again, which he will find out later. As someone already stated here , it's all in parenting and you definetly got the right idea. Good Luck!
2006-08-22 19:50:58 · answer #2 · answered by Coffee 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree with the others...you did the right thing. My son is the exact same age and we're doing the same with him. He does think it's fun, but 1) it gets the job done, and 2) it's still teaching him that if he makes a mess, he has to clean it up.
And I disagree with the person who said 27-months old is too young to understand punishment. My son went through a hitting stage a couple of months ago, and after several times outs as a result he has stopped.
2006-08-22 19:43:50 · answer #3 · answered by KL 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
WOW! a good parent? I thought those went extinct years ago! anyways, keep up the great work! if he happened to enjoy cleaning up his spill, maybe you can get him to do it more around the house.
I would also like to tell you that im the same way, please and thank you are a habit and i always put stuff back where it goes. however, I had no idea it bothered store employees so much when people dont put stuff back.
2006-08-22 19:45:56 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You know you handled that situation the right way. If there were more parents like you who made their children mind them and clean up after they made a mess, accidentally or not, then this world would be a better place. Good parenting!!! He may have liked having to clean up his mess, but after enough times of spilling only to have to clean it up, he will certainly learn that it isn't all that fun after all. ; )
2006-08-22 19:15:14 · answer #5 · answered by joandi_99 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I dont think its bad of that u told your son to clean up his mess because they do need to learn how to clean up and pick up there toys when there young and if you dont do that then they will think that they can do anything without getting in trouble which no parent wouldn't that well i would hope so well thats what i think
2006-08-22 19:14:43 · answer #6 · answered by cool 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No thats not mean of you, thats just teaching him he needs to clean up his mess. Also it hopefully sent him a message that its not okay to spit on the floor. Sounds like you are doing a good job teaching him anyway!
2006-08-22 19:09:09 · answer #7 · answered by LaAlicia 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
YOU GO GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All too few parents give their children enough credit. They think that they don't have enough sense to know that there are consequences for certain behaviors. I also make my son clean up his own messes. I too wondered if he simply thought it was fun, and he kinda did. But when he had to clean something instead of watching wonder pets...he really got the point. I applaud your time and effort in RAISING your child. Too many people are leaving it up to somebody else. Kudos, Kudos, Kudos!!!!
2006-08-22 19:34:18 · answer #8 · answered by mysonsablessing 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Eventually he will stop or maybe he'll really enjoy helping you mop the floor. I see either as a good thing. I let my 5 yo mop all the time.
2006-08-22 19:08:44 · answer #9 · answered by C K Platypus 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
He "decided" to spit it on the kitchen floor? Better than the living room rug, I guess.
Why not withhold the Capri Sun for a while each time he decides to spit it out?
Don't worry about depriving him. "Juice drinks" are almost pure sugar-water, anyway.
2006-08-22 19:11:08 · answer #10 · answered by Jay 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋