For the past few months my son has been obsessed with spilling his drinks on the table. Sometimes he'll want to then drink it off the table or sometimes it's in retaliation from me just saying no to him for something. He'll watch me saying no no no running towards him & smile while he does it. He doesn't do this with his father. He's been off of sippy cups for over 6 months now & the dentist just told me not to use them since he's already got cavities. We've been doing time-outs in the corner for other disciplinary issues but is there something he'll react to sooner?
give hin the towel and have hin wipe it up. Then to stop mt 2yo from writing on the wall i had her clean every wall she could reach9with a mr clean eraser) now she goes to the wall with a crayon and stops and say clean no write. Make him remember the consequence!
It's a phase. My son is 3 and still drinking from sippy cups. He did that tilt it over and sprinkle it type of thing and it annoyed me. He was definitely in his terrible 2s. So, don't worry right now, my friends that have 4 year olds says it gets worse later.
I never really gave my kids sippy cups, but gave them cups with water in it or a small amount of another liquid and expected spills. If he likes to watch you run, I would stop running. Sit there and have your meal with him and only give him a little water. Happily refill it. If he's two, you can hand him a cloth and tell him to wipe up his mess, knowing he is not going to do a great job. It's more showing him that his spills are his responsibility. Good luck!
Do you make him clean up his mess ? I use to teach 16 2 yr olds! We had breakfast, snacks and lunch everyday with minimal spilling (those who were learning to drink w/o a sippy). If they spilled they had to clean it up and that stopped spilled! quickly - they were more thoughtful of what they were doing :)
My son (2.5) liked to do this too! I tried making him clean up his own messes, but he enjoys that even more! It became obvious that he was doing it because he got A LOT of attention for it. Nothing made me run faster than him making a big mess out of his drink. Timeouts didn't work for me either, but him not allowed to have a cup sure did. If he would spill I would take his cup away, explain why he got it taken away and then that was it. He would be really upset, but I persevered. Then I would let him have a "supervised" drink where I would give him his cup so he could take a drink and then take it back out of reach. Now he knows if he makes a mess (with any of his table food or drinks) he gets them taken away. Obviously if he accidentially spilled it, we would clean it up together and there would be no punishment. I hope that helps.
You can but cups with lids or straws that shouldn't be any more likely to cause cavities then a regular cup. Just make sure that he is only using them at the table. It sounds like this is just a game to him, although it is not to funny to you. You might also try just giving him a cup with a sip or two in it at a time and with only water or milk. Are you sitting at the table with him when he is doing this? If not, maybe he wants or needs you there with him. Bottom line is that he doing this to get your attention about something.
Good luck and hang in there.
well we have that going on here also my grandson not only puts his sippy cup upside down to make it spill out but he take his plate or bowl (what ever one he has at that meal)picks it up and drops it or throws it then says done ! my daughter just tells him no and tells him big boys don't do that.for the most part it is caz when he is done he is done .so don't worry just let him know that it is not necessary to do that ,and at the same time don't let him see that it is geting to you .i believe the other responses are right it may just be him seeing what you will do and seeing if the attention from you is better that way.
Listen to these smart mothers that tell you to have your child clean up after himself. It really works if you stick to your guns. But please do not withold fluids from you son for a whole day!
Let him go one full day without drinking and explain to him that he can't have a drink because he spills it. Make him promise not to spill. One full day of punishment seems like a lifetime for a child so I believe he will get the message then. Make sure you tell him that you are the mother and that he has to listen to you also, not just daddy. Make sure you throw away all of his sippy cups in the trash so he cannot get to them. Don't let him manipulate you, he is only 2! If you let him continue, it will only get worse. Don't worry, it will all work out fine for you. I have a 4 year old daughter and I know what you're going through.
J., My son is 22 months and already the circle and games have begun. I simply make him stand there and drink it in front of me and at the table I hold the cup. When he plays with it I take it away and put it in the sink and we are done. He has caught on and when he is at the table I put a little at a time and all I give him is water, 2 or 3 sips worth. i only have one and am married as well and my son is my world and seems to test me more than his father. I never budge and he is learning that and as for boys it must be an obsession with water, I let mine play in the sink on a stool while I play to with cups and spoons and water toys I think it satisfies his water urges... Lots of luck it is a tiring age.
