I watch a 2 y/o boy and lately he has been tipping his sippy cup and watching the drink run out. The past 2 months he did it about once a week at lunch time after my 6 y/o gets done eating and leaves the table. When he does it I will ask why and he is mad about something (having to eat his carrots or my son not being there to play with). He has done it every day I have had him this week so far. Tuesday he did it in the car while I was driving. I had to take the carseat out and wash it because he had milk. And yesterday he did it at lunch with his water. I put him in time out when he does it, but that is not working. When I ask his mom about it she says "well he doesn't do it at home." I have started to only let him have water and he is only aloud to drink in the kitchen. He also hits and digs his nails into my 6 y/o when he doesn't get his way, he gets timeout for this too (2 minutes). I don't know what else to do, my 6 y/o never did anything like this.
my two year old dumped her cups for a while, but she grew out of it pretty quickly. i made her get a towel and clean it up herself, and didn't make a big deal out of it. she doesn't do it anymore.
we have cups in the bathtub and the wading pool outside, for them to play with pouring water.
VALVES. we only drink from regular or non-valved sippys when we're in the kitchen or outside.
My 3 year old tipped over a bottle of water on purpose yesterday. He does this sometimes. He knows its wrong but seems to love to do it at times. I think it is a "fun to watch it" thing that they will grow out of. In the mean time, I would watch him closely and go buy some good cleaner cause they wont stop. All kids are different.
Good Luck
I know it's annoying (my son did it, too), but just try to be patient. They are learning lots of things...like how gravity works. Just let him explore. If he's spilling milk in the car...of course, that can't happen every day. But stick to water or get the cups that don't leak.
It sounds like the hitting & scratching bring a different angle, though. He may need some one-on-one time with you or even your 6 year old. He doesn't sound like a bad kid. He just needs redirected.
Good luck!
Hi J.,
My two year old daughter has done this since she's learned how to drink from a cup. I noticed that she does it like an experience type thing. She'll drip it through the sippy part and says "water babies" as watering the plants, than when we learned that she shakes it constantly, its cuz she's not getting enough out that she wants to drink, we also always made her clean up her mess. So we took the tops off the cup and let her drink from the cup then, she drinks about a quarter of it and than dumps it. BOREDOM! Would be the key word. If you just give him maybe a quarter of the drink in his cup without the sippy top, than he'll drink it up or he dumps it and let him know that he's not getting anymore if he keeps dumping the drink out! If that don't change, just let him go with out until he's thirsty. For the clawing, scratching and fit throwing, maybe there's ways his mom deals with things at home. Ask her what she does when he scratches or hits or claws people and throws his fits. If she doesn't have any clue and she doesn't give you ways to deal with it, than I'd let her know that you can not watch him anymore until she cuts his nails, teaches him its not nice and he can't always have his way, but that's typical for any 2year old. My daughter pulls her sisters and dads hair when they don't pay any attention to her. Or she screams or shuts the tv or computer off on all of us. So what I do is ask her what is it that she wants? First off, than if she scratches, hits or pulls hair than I tell her that it hurts us when she does it, she tells us that she is sorry and she'll tell us that she wants to play or she wants to eat or drink something! But when she realizes that she did do wrong, she does kiss the spot where she hurt someone and appologizes. I have only set her in time out one time, due to the fact that she made my 10year old bleed, and cry. I told her that she is in time out for 2 minutes because she has hit her sister and made her bleed, that its not nice to be mean to people especially when she wants to play with them. I left her on my bed for 2 minutes, she came out to me and said she was sorry. And she was in a better mood after that. I told her I wasn't mad at her, that I was just sad because she hurt her sister. Ever since than, things have been different. She hasn't been spilling things since we don't use the sippy part of the cup!I do agree with some of the women, Praise him and show him love and let him feel like he's at home. If that's too much for you, than maybe its time for his mom to find someone else. Good Luck!!
I can't offer much advice. I use to watch a child that was contrary like the one you have described. I just wanted to tell you to watch out for spitting. It's probably next. If it happens, the way I handled it, was I made time out in the shower! He had to stand in the shower so that if he spit, it was easily cleaned up. He knew exactly why he had to stand in there too.
The sippy cup thing.. I can relate. My son did this for a bit. It is very irritating but I think it is a phase. Being mean to others worries me a bit more. I'm not sure what to tell you there except to keep with the time outs. Our policy has always been, 3 warnings then it's time out, unless someone is hurt on purpose then there is no warning! I know that I'm not much help to your issue but wanted to let you know that I've been in your shoes to a smaller degree. Shannon G.
Maybe he likes to watch the liquid run out, like any curious child.
Ask his mother to get a non-spill cup, so you don't have to worry about it, and for your own sake, it would probably be better not to have milk in the car anyway in case of an accidental spill.
As to his aggressive behavior, just be vigilant and consistant with the time outs.
I would suggest talking to the parent again. You never let another child harm another. If the parent can't have your back then suggest you will not be able to watch the child any longer.
Get the Playtex cups with the valves. They don't leak. My 17 month old daughter throws hers around I never have any problem wtih it leaking. I don't know about the nail digging thing though. Sounds like he just wants your attention. Good luck!
weird question for you.......... does this 2 year old feel like he is a prt of th efamily ie- do you praise him, give him hugs, play with him or do you jsut watch im and play with your son or have yoru son play with him... he is acting out for attention and if its negative attention, its still attention from you. No you are not his mom but he needs to feel lvoed and praised at your house that is why the parent pput him in yoru care instead of a day care center ( not saying you are NOT being loving just suggesting, it might be happening)
Water only is good and have HIM clean up his messes, if he has to take ownership in it and cclean it up, he will stop
Two year olds are very curious and trying to figure out how everything works. Maybe you should give him a couple of different cups and a bucket of water, outside of course, and let him pour the water from one to the other. Best to put swim trunks or just a diaper on him. That way he can fulfill his curiosity about it. Let him know that when he is having a drink inside, he cannot pour it out.
As for the scratching, hitting, definitely put him in time out for that. My 2 yr old grandson, does this to me, but his is getting better about it, since Mom and I started punishing him for it.
For goodness sake...he is 2! They aren't adults and they do things to get a reaction out of you or anyone else! Try praising him. I wouldn't restrict him to just water either if you have him all day, that is just wrong. Maybe you have too much on your hands and you aren't able to provide the care that all four children need.
Why dont you get him a spill proof sippy cup? Then it won't be an issue.
Just get a different sippy with a better valve. Our Gerber cups don't leak, nor do the type with straws like Nubby cups.
