Punishments for toddlers

[numnum]

I go on about all the time on here I'm now wondering what punishments you use on your kids. I have two very active kids and looking for the best ways to deal with them that will suit them

When they have been fighting over a toy I speak nicely to share, if that doesn't work I then speak in a different tone with their first warning. Then if that fails the toy gets removed from them

If he throws his food/juice/milk around the dinner table then he gets spoken to nicely then a warning then it goes in the bin he gets cleaned up and dinner is over with

My youngest (20 months) was climbing today. I took him down and spoke nicely to him. He then grabbed the clothes horse and pushed that over to which I was more serious with him, while picking the horse up he got into the bin and emptied that out. He'd had his 3 warnings but I couldn't think of a punishment. The only thing I could think of was putting him to his room

I have been putting him in his room depending on what he's done but I dont think its working at the moment. I think he's still that young to understand.

he needs to know that he will get pulled up on his actions, but every move he seems to make is a dangerous or distructive one which makes it harder to deal with.

i do try to let some things go because i don't want to be giving him rows all day but its really difficult because if he's not climbing, throwing heavy toys and his sister he'll be walking about spitting or wanting to bit me. he just goes from one thing to another is the best way to describe him. I'm getting down to his level and letting him know what he's done wrong

[DTCwordfan]

You need a punishment time-out space where they can't enjoy themselves, bedrooms should be sleep and play areas, not for retribution.

[boxtops]

It's not right to send him to his room, otherwise at his age he'll equate being put to bed with punishment, and think he's done wrong again.

I know people poo-poo it, but I think the naughty step is a great idea.

Besides, most kids these days have so much entertainment in their bedrooms, they don't mind being shut in there.

[numnum]

the health visitor told me to put him in a room for 5 minutes. when she told me this at first he was a lot younger and thought it was to dangerous to put him in his room for 5 minutes because he can do a lot of damage and climb in that amount of time

i did start doing this a couple of monhts ago and found it calmed him down then he started to play with his toys for a few minutes while he was in there. which was a surprise as he never plays with any toys.

i'm finding this isnt' working now. i was thinking of clearing out our back porch (we use it for storage at the moment) and use this as there would be nothing in it for him to hurt himself on.

[pastafreak]

I agree...his room should be a 'safe'place...not where he goes for punishment. I think it's 'Super Nanny' who tells parents to set aside a corner,step on the stairs, or any spot set slightly away from most activities, as a quiet place or naughty step. But not the bedroom.

[pastafreak]

I was agreeing with boxy and DT.

[DTCwordfan]

We used our dining room, which in practice was our music room as there was no dining table in there - and because it was quiet and nothing in there other than the piano...and a little furniture and a large antique box.

[numnum]

i agree. i wasn't happy about putting him in his room because of this and thats another reason i stalled so much from putting him in his room but i've tried it, it slightly worked and now i need a different way to deal with him

he climbs over the stair gate so i'm worried about leaving him in our hall as our bannister would be a doddle for him to climb over and hurt himself so the room was the only options

[pastafreak]

You really shouldn't need to leave him long enough for him to get into trouble. A few minutes should be enough for a toddler. Anything longer is difficult for a child too young to really understand time.

[ummmm]

They (Joe Frost) says one minute for every year of their life.

[fairycakes69]

We had a naughty chair, though sometimes it was the mat at the front door, the step at the bottom of the stairs and the step at the top of the stairs, the joys of 5 young children and only the eldest behaved. We also counted to 5 to give them time to do what we'd asked, the tone got deeper the nearer to 5, they did it, just as well as didn't know what I was going to do if they didn't. My grandaughter sits at the mat at the front door, because the step didn't work. She doesn't like not being able to see what is going on. Just keep at it, I know it is hard and they wear you down, but its not forever.

[cathfromsaron]

i never say 'share', i say 'take it in turns' and any arguments i take it away!

and the ultimate sanction, no children's programmes all evening for any rudeness and naughty step for 5 mins after the incident to think about it!

[firewatch]

at home we cant use the stairs as we cant see what the monkey is up to, but at our friends she knows she cant go up down the stairs on her own so gets timed out 3 steps up. She was slamming plates down on there dining table and was timed out for 2 minutes (shes almost 2). She took the punishment very well. here i tend to pick her up and remove her from the situation thats getting her into trouble drop to her level and tell her straight no. Straight out no in a firm tone and expalin why im telling her off. Tv gets switched off and shes made to sit on the sofa quietly for a time. That or i take her out for a walk, as nine times out of ten shes bored!