I have a 2 foot high, home destroying problem. Now that we have remolded the guts out of our home, it pains me greatly to see scratches in the newly refinished wood floor, and broken pieces of furniture. Recently my baby (1 1/2 years old) actually broke the wood door off my solid wood t.v. hutch, gouged the finish on my wood floors, broke the swing on the screen door, pooped out of his diaper and all over my newly laid carpet, and re-arranged all the dishes in my kitchen cupboard.
In addition to all this, while I was at my mother's house making a family dinner, he carefully watched me as I threw garbage in their swing lid trash can. I noticed he was following me with his eyes, and felt grateful that he wasn't climbing in their dishwasher (another of his favorite past times). After watching me, he opened the cupboard, grabbed a dish, walked to the trash can, pushed the lid open, and dropped the dish in. "What are you doing? No! We don't throw away grandma's dishes," I scolded him and put him in the other room so I could finish dinner.
The next day, my dad informed me that when he was taking out the very gooey yucky garbage, he found TUPPERWARE LIDS in the garbage! Ugh...Teddy the destroyer is out to destroy my life! (Yes that is melodramatic, but sometimes I do feel like my son is an absolutely DESTROYER). What should I do?
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
advice please?
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I have one of those- it's my middle child. I keep thinking it's a phase and he'll grow out of it, but he's 2 1/2 now and I don't know what to do either. It's hard cause what works on one kid, doesn't work on another.
Oh Erin. I do feel for you. Did I ever tell you about when Austin was 2 1/2 and he managed to break FIVE windows in our house?! I know how frustrating it is to feel like you have no control over your child. I wish I had good advice. The only thing I can think of, though, is to keep writing all of this stuff down. Write it in your blog. Write it in Teddy's journal. Then, you'll have plenty of evidence to convict him once he's old enough to understand the pain he's put you through. Then, when he's grown into a successful and wealthy entrepreneur (which he's sure to become with the creativity he obviously has already), the first thing he'll do is build his mother a mansion to replace the home he once tried to destroy.
Hmmm... I have an antagonizer, a whiner and a screecher, but not a destroyer (although the all are good at distruction). Go buy him some overalls to keep the diaper on and for the rest... PRAY, Really Really Hard. Sorry, I'm not much help...
I love to hear that other people have crazy kids and so that makes my child normal!! Get a big gate and keep him in one area with lots of toys until you can leave the house....after that GOODLUCK!!
At first, reading this entry, I thought you were talking about your "hulihuli black dog" but realized it was only Teddy. We've now implemented procedures to help prevent these happenings. Before Teddy gets to our home, we put the trash can in the garage, we pick up Ipo's water dish, and we then try to confine Teddy in the family room with all the toys, put the footstool up infront of the DVD player and TV. As for Bubba, we get out the laser pen and shine the red dot for him to pounce on periodically. Now if we can get even a hug or something from Teddy, we wouldn't feel so bad. We love the little guy.
Oh goodness! You act like you've never had kids before. :P
Well, food works well here. I give them snacks at allthe times I need them out of my hair. That or an acitivty. Even my youngest enjoys smooshing play dough. At home I keep a tupperware cupboard that they are aloud to go through and do as they please. and I keep all the breakable dishes up high (so pots and pans, and such are low).
As for the house destroying...hmm....I don't know since I sincerely thought you were talkign about your pup at first. :P
p.s. We just got our Disney passes, so if you come out this way to the Big Park within the next year, let us know!
Oh, and htank you for the compliment, and of course I'd let you take my picture. How coudl I pass that up?!
Your little one sounds so much like mine! It seemed like everytime I turned around he was into something else! We finally went out and bought a Super Yard (basically a cage) that we can move around the house and keep toys inside so that he's entertained and not destroying everything! He's getting better but it's very much a work in progress! Good Luck, and I feel for you!
I'm having the same dilemma with Lilly right now. Before we put a lock on the cabinet door, where we keep the trash, she'd take toys and throw them away. I'd let them go because there was NO way I was touching nasties in the trash. I've told her "no" so many times now that I must sound like a broken record to her. She is SLOWLY starting to learn that she isn't allowed to touch or get into certain things. During the day I shut every door, bring out her toy buckets and let her have fun dumping out those big buckets, it's alot of clean-up at night but anything to keep her out of the "off-limit" things.
It was fun to read all these comments. Sounds like Teddy is NORMAL!!! Yes, I had a destroyer or two. My last kiddo is 2 1/2 and comes up with some new and creative ways to WOW me with how totally crazy a 2 year old can be. At this point in my life I actually find it entertaining. I've already given up on a neat and perfect house, can write off a lot of things I can't find anymore, and quite frankly don't have the energy to fret anymore. So I laugh - often.
Sounds like Gozer . . . no, no, not the Stay Puffed Marshmallow Man Gozer but my third child. He earned the name after breaking one neighbor's sun roof, breaking another neighbor's basement window and breaking countless items in our house (mostly toys).
Advice? Child gates, lots of them. Teddy proof one room and gate him in with his favorite toys when you don't have time to watch his every squirm. Just make sure that you also set aside some Teddy Time to play with him, read to him and let him roam the house (with you half a step behind him).
Now, as you well know, my children are all angels (of course, one is occasionally the Angel of Destruction); so, anytime you need some know-how on raising angels, you just pop on over......bwahahahaha hehehe hahaha
Judy took the words right out of my mouth!
Have you considered where he gets his energy from? Hopefully as he gets older he'll learn to focus that energy into productive projects like you have. :) Until then, I don't think you can medicate a child that young. hahaha!
P.S. I heard at RS last night that if you hold in a laugh it moves down to your hips and expands.
I know a little boy that is between 2 and 3 years old who actually does all those things and then drinks out of the dogs water bowl with the dog at his side; plus, eats the dog food with the dog by his side; won't leave his clothes on in the winter, outside, with a cold, because you can't keep him in. So it sounds like your little tike is a Good little boy, doing what good little boys do.
If it will count for anything try taking a "Love and Logic" class. I've seen it work for the little Tornado I described above. It didn't make him perfect but he has calmed down a little, and his Mom isn't stressed, as much.
I am taking my own advice early. I am in a "love and logic" class right now and my two little kids are only 9 months old. I am preparing for the future when they are 2 yrs old.
Obviously I don't know what to tell you. Ahem, Cardon. . . enjoy it while it lasts though. Cardon's chilling out a bit with age and it's surprisingly bitter sweet.
Oh, something that TOTALLY helped my spirits, and thus the situation: I changed my verbiage. Rather than "He's so crazy!" I'd think, "He's so passionate!" Crazy as a kid translates into passionate as an adult (an AWESOME QUALITY). Also "destructive" translates into "determined." Awesome!! "Pushy"="Influential"!!! Etc.
It really helped my patience and made me so proud to have such a child who is destined (with my encouragement and guidance) to become such a FANTASTIC adult!
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