Monday, 08 February 2010
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Holding Duckie Hostage
Post from Glamorous Insanity
Dora the Duckie here is Little Miss Sugar’s favorite toy. She has had it since birth, and likes to play with her pretty often. She sometimes even brings Dora to the table to have lunch with her while “they” watch cartoons.
Yesterday when the living room floor looked like Hurricane Katrina ran through it, I asked the girls to clean it up. As usual, their reaction was as though they had to clean poo off the toilet.
I understand first hand how much cleaning sucks sometimes. But if I continue to clean up after them, they learn nothing, and I am a maid for the next 16 + years. Yea, that's not going to happen.
Little Miss Spice whined for a bit, but realized Mama wasn’t budging. She started to pick her toys up and take them to her room. Little Miss Sugar decided she was just too good for cleaning.
I tried everything, from “You're not going to be able to play in the living room anymore if you don't clean up” to “Do you want to sit in time out?” and then I finally thought of an idea.
Dora the Duckie was in her hands as she was sitting on the floor. I took Dora and put her on top of the refrigerator. Little Miss Sugar went WILD.
I told her that Dora was in jail, and it was up to her to get her out. Dora needed her to clean up the living room so she can come back to play. First she looked at me like I was an ass. Then 2-3 minutes later she asked when she can have her back.
“Dora is in jail and she can’t come back until you clean up the living room. Then she can come out and play.”
I have never seen her clean faster! Within 5 minutes, the living room actually looked like an adult area. No toys, books or barbies covering the floor.
If this idea was so easy, Dora the Duckie can plan on being put in the Slammer more often.
Do you take things away from your kids to bargain with them?
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Comments (12)
I do not have kids... but this was brilliant. Good job!
Eh, the only thing the boys care about is their TV time...and we've done that; no TV until you finish X-thing.
I don't have any kids, but I have taught and worked with other people's kids.
I don't bargain with any of them. They do what I say. I can outlast any children in anything.
Last week I substituted as a teacher in my church school, one child did not complete her math lesson during math class. i told her to do it during study hall at 11am. Well she wanted to do something fun like Art. I told her again to do math. she then got out her math book and did math as she continued to argue with me about wanting to do math. she wasted all of study hall time doing 6 math problems.
She then complained about not having time to do Art. I told her I didn't care, she had a chance to do art, after math but she chose to argue with me. If she had simply done the math, she would have had time to do Art
all of this to basically say that I agree with what you did. If she wants to play with duckie, then she has to do it. Just whatever you do, never cave. If you cave, even once then she will expect it in the future.
I definitely used this strategy. When my son was young we took away toys. Now it's video game time, which is fairly rationed at our house. I consider it a natural consequence, after all if I didn't work I would have money for toys. So if they don't work it should be the same.
i'm laughing and feeling bad for her all at the same time!
Yes, I do this at our house. Mr Potato Head went on vacation. and we are not sure when he is coming back. And sometimes it is easier to put toys (or the dog) in time out then our two year old.
He gets really mad when the dog has to go into time out.
ROFL you put the duck in jail.
My son's Handy Manny tools get held hostage quite often (much to my delight....need to write the company about volume control). The tools are his favorite toy, and go on top of the fridge when he doesn't pick up, lies, makes poor choices in general...etc. Though it is actually 3rd in the discipline line. 1st, talking/giving choices, 2nd time out, 3rd toys taken away...4th (never get this far) spanking.
Edit: Also, we have an egg timer we set for 5 minutes, and he has 5 minutes to pick up, and he has to pick up twice daily.
@RainDropPixie@xanga - The timer is a nice touch, LOL.
Yay for Mommy. Suge herself will be saying the same thing to her angel, in 20 or so years, all because you are sticking to your guns now.
@cyberbear@xanga - Yeah if he doesn't have a challenge he'll "poke" around and play as he picks up. It also gives him an idea of punishment coming into effect, if he doesn't finish in time...the toys left out get put away for a whole day. Its a bit more effective than "if you don't pick up, your toys are getting put up"
@RainDropPixie@xanga - You get the picture1 Deeds, not words-works every time.
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