Im fed up, he isnt even 3 yet, and he is super sneaky, and trouble....

[tanyaya]

hi Anila


oh wow - something to look forward to when my DS is a bit older!



no real advice - just that maybe a different approach may help. for example, kids with certain issues often need to be challenged/stimulated in different ways in order to circumvent the symptoms of the real problem.

for him, he doesn't know what $$$ are (unfortunately!), so he doesn't understand what he is doing is wasteful, messy and a pain - to him it's just fun. Imagine if you stimulated this and used it for something productive - like messy artwork once a day. Kids love getting mucky, maybe it's something to be encouraged in a "controlled" environment?

maybe you could try to see the world with his eyes and ask yourself what he is attracted to? maybe he's missing something? or like the others say, maybe it's a phase. my brother used to do really naughty things- i remember he tied a tight string around the cat once (!) and once he took a ball of yarn and tied it all over the backyard like a big spider web (kinda cool)

i totally sympathise with you, feeling overwhelmed and being pregnant. how old are the older kids? could you get them to help out with the situation?

good luck thinking outside of the box!

[Anila]

I know its a phase and he will hopefully grow out of it but its frustrating, the chemicals are kept in a high cupboard above the stove, he moves the kitchen chair to the stove and climbs up, he climbs the pantry, we have tried the safetly lock on the pantry, the one where its sticky stuff taped on, but after a while of him pulling it, the lock doesnt work, we are in a rental so cant drill locks in, when things are locked up there isnt an issue with that stuff, but he gets into everything the second the lock isnt on .

I cant put a safety gate on the bathroom, because he is toliet training, and goes to loo when ever he feels the need etc

we have tried explaining to him, giving him time out putting him in his room, etc etc, and nothing

I do agree he needs extra stimulation, but atm its hard for me to give that to him, my hubby works nights and sleeps days, and i clean when im not to tired, which atm is always!

Keeping him by my side isnt as easy as it sounds, both my mum and sister suggested it, and its hard i cant force him to come with me when i go to the loo iykwim, even mum says he is a handful when she has it at her place.

On friday he goes back to kindy, after having 6 weeks off over xmas, just like the big kids! So he will get some stimulation once a week then.

[lissy]

The first thing that came to mind reading this was making mud pies or helping you cook something. Giving him the opportunity to combine and mix a whole heap of different things together maybe?? though it sounds so tiring dahl. Hope it works itself out soon.

[Jewel]

Big big big hugs.

I'm tired just thinking about it. I feel for you and hope he grows out of it soon. Fingers crossed going back to Kindy lessens his mischief.

more

xox

[~Lashes~]

just offering a no help here, i have the same problems with my 3 & 5 year olds, only they know how all the child locks work, and litraly smashed the kiddie gate down i had.
i hope he settles down and starts behaving for you.

[Gigi]

oh wow, i can't imagine trying to cope with this AND being pregnant, you must be exhausted.

the only thing i can think of is to have a number of baby gates (we had four of these, on four different doorways, in a rental property).

he sounds a very clever cookie, to be dragging stools, steps and kitchen chairs to help him climb up.

Placement of the things he likes to dip down the drain, in view of "could he reach this, if standing on a chair".
Put the items in the rooms, that babygates stop him entering.
You might not be able to leave hair products in the shower, if the current position is so easy for him to get to. you can get product racks that hang OVER shower doors (to hold the hair products). would that be high enough to stop him?
Otherwise the only thing i can think of is, keep the hair products in a travel toiletries bag (in a room with a child gate on the doorway) and take that bag in and out of the bathroom WITH you, when you have your shower. Inconvenient, but may be cheaper.

i'm prolly biased about the child safety gates cos i have/had such a short child, who never climbed them, got past them. I don't know what i would have done, without those gates, they were my sanity saver - and kept bilby safe.

[tears_of_joy]

I cant offer much in the way of advice, As i have a Mr 3 who sounds as though he could be your sons twin!! It is so so exhausting, and im not pregnant, so huge hugs for you.

We have an open dining/lounge/kitchen area, so no keeping him out of there! But i have had something rigged up so he cant get in to the kitchen, although his latest is to push a chair up to the side of it, climb up and jump over Whenever i leave the room all my chairs go up on the tables so he cant get them and at night, everything climbable goes up or out! I have a safety latch on my fridge and freezer and small slide bolt on my pantry, spare/junk room, my room, bathroom and laundry, i have safety gates to keep him away from the front and back door as he will let him self out, and a safety gate blocking the hall leading to my study as this door has a cat flap so the cats can get to the cat run and he will go through it and throw things out it!! Sort of sounds like fort nox but i was at a loss, and you know what?? It still hasn't stopped him!! And Mr 2 is starting too!!

Good luck, i know how frustrating it can be, hope he settles down soon, mine too! Oh and im sleeping in my loungeroom at the moment too so i can hear him as soon as he gets up!