18 month old chucking his sippy cup, argh!

[CalicoKat]

How to get this to stop is my mission.

 

 

So far I'm tell him, "No, we don't do that." And then I put his cup back in the fridge.

 

I feel that it's deliberate because he looks me in the eye, grins, and throws its overhand while maintaining eye contact. It's not just for me, he does it for dh too.

 

I get it. He hates me. I'm not his mom. And this is his only way to express his feelings. Food is the root of many problems for this young man.

 

But seriously folks, how many times is this going to take?

 

Any other positive disciplinary suggestions. This is our new foster son.

[coffeegal]

I get it. He hates me. I'm not his mom. And this is his only way to express his feelings. Food is the root of many problems for this young man.

 

 

I doubt it's because he hates you. One of my ds would do the same thing, grin at me before misbehaving. :lol: Kids, lol. My feeling was ds thought it was a wonderful game.

 

As far as how long it'll take, probably a long time. I never found a shortcut way to fix toddler misbehavior. :grouphug:

[CalicoKat]

I doubt it's because he hates you. One of my ds would do the same thing, grin at me before misbehaving. :lol: Kids, lol. My feeling was ds thought it was a wonderful game.

 

As far as how long it'll take, probably a long time. I never found a shortcut way to fix toddler misbehavior. :grouphug:

Your right, it is just toddler stuff. Sigh, it must be me getting old and inflexible.

[Pamela H in Texas]

The fastest way to extinguish toddler behavior:

 

1) don't take it personally because it almost NEVER is.

2) don't let it happen in the first place.

 

Seriously, 18month olds throw things. They gain A LOT of important information from doing it. And the mischeivious grin towards you beforehand is never about being naughty or hate or anything of the sort. It is almost always simply that they are testing to see if the same thing will happen EVERY time. EVERY time, will mom get up and get it? Every time, will it splash a little juice out? Every time, will I get a little attention? Every time, will it make the same sound? How come last time it sounded differently? Let me try this again.

 

In this case, to stop it from happening. *I* wouldn't be giving him a sippy cup unless he had some motor issue that required it. However, beyond that issue, since he's shown a propensity for throwing it, I would make the rule be that he gets it at the table with you near enough to him that when he rears back you can simply take it from him. I wouldn't give him any attention for doing it and I'd simply just put it up and then go about things normally (ie, you are NOT hurt or frustrated, it's time to go outside...or whatever).

 

If you decide to go the cup route, I'd have him clean whatever mess is made also. 18months is plenty old enough to mop up some water with a wash rag.

[Plink]

We had a problem similar to this with my oldest. We decided that she would only get a sippy when seated in her high-chair. If it was tossed she lost it for 15 min. and her chair was turned toward the wall for 1 min. All we said to her was "no throwing" in a stern but conversational voice. No lecture. No yelling. It took a few weeks of doing the same-exact-thing over and over, but eventually it worked liked a charm!

 

Don't take it personally. Kids just love to discover where their boundaries are.

[gingersmom]

Everytime we went out to eat my daughter would take the sugar packets and make a mess of them. Then she would drop them on the floor. Remove them and she found something else to drop on the floor.

 

He/She is 18 months old. Its normal behavior.

[mommytobees]

Snicker. I love that stage.

 

Keep it simple and keep a cup of water around all the time.

 

"Here's your cup, Joe."

 

"Joe" chucks his cup. Accompanied with a giggle.

 

"Oh, you are all done?! Okay, I'll put it..... away/ right here on the table/ ????."

 

As for the behavior.... as other posters have posted... this is _NORMAL_!! And, more importantly it is HEALTHY!!! This is a learning behavior. My mom calls it "the drops". Look what happens when I _drop_ this!! Then "mommy" picks it back up and I can do it _again_!!!!!!

 

Will the fun every stop!?!?!?

 

Snicker. Personally, I love love love this stage!! I'd start handing him Little People type animals and people. Then, when he chucks them you can accompany them with their "ahhhhhhhhh I'm falling" noises.

 

Oh, do remember, this is for dropping.... throwing is an OUTSIDE skill.

 

Snicker.

 

Kris

[Jean in Newcastle]

I would do what you are doing re. putting the cup in the fridge. Then I would hand him a soft ball. "A ball is for throwing".

[msjones]

My second did this. Made me bonkers. I thought it would never end. I knew it was normal, age-appropriate, blah, blah. That's all very nice, but I still needed the child to be able to drink without chucking his cup. Someone gave me this idea and it worked beautifully.

 

If he can drink from a regular cup at all -- even a little -- try giving him a small paper cup (like a bathroom dixie cup). Put just a small amount of water in it -- so that if/when he does throw it it won't be a big mess. Refill as needed. Then he'll get a response for using the cup correctly. You could even use dixie cups for your whole family for dinner for a few nights, making a big deal about refills.

 

He might, of course, try to throw it, but the dixie cup just doesn't throw too far, and it doesn't make an impressive noise when it hits the floor/counter/fridge. And you're only putting in a little bit of water, so it's not a big splash either.

 

He may be so thrilled by trying to drink from a real cup and getting all those fun refills from his loving foster mom that he forgets about the throwing. Your problem may be solved.

 

Or he might scream and bawl until you give him back the sippy cup and you'll be right back where you began. :confused: Ahh...toddlers....;)

[Melissa in Australia]

I got one of those non spill cups for my children. they only had water in them when they threw them I didn't even bat an eye lid. I just completely ignored the whole thing. They quickly worked out that game was no fun and stopped.