My 3 year old colored on the walls with a permanent marker...?

Question

We just discovered the inside of the walk in closet and the door inside was all marked up by our 3 year old with a carelessly placed magic marker. He's a smart 3 year old, but I want to get it across to him that this is wrong. What would be a sufficient punishment for a little boy his age? I thought of taking a favorite toy a way for a week, but maybe that's too long? Any help is appreciated!

Answer 1

Take his markers away. If he's like my little Picasso that'll do it for awhile anyway!

Use a magic sponge to get it off- (Mr. Clean Is the brand)

Answer 2

How long ago did he do it? If it was more than a week ago, or if you aren't sure, the best thing to do is show it to him, ask him how it happened, and tell him not to do it again. There won't be enough memory of the even for him to attach the punishment to. If it was more recent, try making him help you to fix it, showing him how hard it is to remove the stains, and how ugly he made YOUR house. Force him to sit time out while watching you repaint the wall, so he sees the consequence of his behaviour, and then take away all of his crayons, pencils, markers, paper, etc, for two days to show him that he has to pay the price for is actions. A whole week is definitely too long for a 3 yr old, and the punishment should be directly related to the "crime". As in, eye-for-eye. He colors on the wall, no coloring for a few days.

Answer 3

I personally do NOT agree with taking away a toy, because the punishment or consequence needs to be related to what happened here.

In our house (she's 3.5), we have gradually ended up removing ALL writing utensils from her room. First it was markers (she had to help clean that up) on the wall, then her bed, then her brother's wall.... and so the markers were taken. Next crayons. Then colored pencils. Then my pen. Now she is down to chalk, since that comes off easily... all other tools were taken and she was made to clean the mess and she is now off of "restriction" in that regard, but she is not allowed access to the markers/pens/pencils/crayons anymore. She has to come and ask and may only use them at the kitchen table while one of us can watch her 100%.

Most kids (in my experience) are over this by the time they are 4. Ours will be 4 in December but there are special circumstances (she was with her father, who kidnapped her, for a year).... we are dealing with a lot of stuff that she would have already been through had she not been gone from our home.

Answer 4

Give him a wash rag and some dish soap.. and make him scrub on the writing for a while... Explain to him that writing belongs on paper (provide him with paper) and with proper markers (washable) and when he writes on the walls it creates alot of work to get it clean... He will get the point after 15 or so minutes scrubbing away and getting no where...

After he goes to bed use hair spray and clean the marker it only takes a few minutes (you don't want him to know this that's why you wait til he is in bed to do the easy clean up)...

You want to impress on him the work involved in cleaning up the huge mess he made and make sure he knows writing is ok in it's proper place and with proper markers...

Make sure he scrubs long enough and hard enough to feel it in his arms... not pain but muscle fatigue so he registers the hard work.. Hopefully you can keep your budding artists work on paper from now on.. If he wants tell him he can hang his proper art around the house on the walls just not do it right on the walls...

Answer 5

I was watching a child that love to write on the walls all the time. The only thing I can say to this is Maybe do what I did see if it works. I went and got a huge roll from the hardware store. Covered one wall in the place, With this. I took markers away but they had canyons. I told them if you want to write on a wall. This one I put paper on just for you. Here is your wall. If you write on the other walls I will take them away. And show them that there is paper on that one wall. Point to another wall show them that one does not have paper. So they have there very own wall. It worked for me. It is just an idea for you.

Answer 6

I agree take away his favorite toy for a week but explain to him why you are taking it away, I do not know anything that will take off magic marker off walls but when my daughter drew on the wall with a crayon we made her wash it, but now we just take g\one of her favorite toys away

Answer 7

purchase a can of spray Kilz and see shoot it in basic terms on the aspects mandatory. It nonetheless could take some coats, do no longer spray too close or too long as to drip. And regrettably you may have sanded the section first, or used an old rag with some lacquer thinner to rub out as much as you may formerly Kilzing. yet spot spraying could do it. another technique is to re-top with a coloration-matched primer. Primer with slightly of the colour you are going to astonishing-coat with. solid success.

Answer 8

Did you ever think of buying the chalk board paint and paint the door in his bedroom or a playroom? This he can do as he wishes and pleases with colour chalks, and washable markers and pencils. I did this with my children. I taught them that this is there writing area only and on paper. It worked, Good luck

Answer 9

well dont blame your child, blame yourself. you cant punish him because you left a permanent marker within his reach. if you never told him not to write on the walls then how can he be punished for it?

tell him "we dont draw on walls we draw on paper" then show him how you draw on paper....only then if he ever gets a hold of another writing instrument and goes to town on your walls - then you can take away his toy

Answer 10

if you take a toy away for a week the child will forget about it in all probablity a stern talk and maybe time out should be suffient ......time out should be based on age so at 3 time out should last 3 minutes