My son (3 1/2) gets up before dawn and helps himself to the kitchen before I know he’s awake. This…
My son (3 1/2) gets up before dawn and helps himself to the kitchen before I know he’s awake. This morning he had helped himself to two bananas, a yogurt, some cheese and several juice pouches before I realized he was up. I’m all for independence, but in the same token he’s also the kind of kid who will say “hey there’s a watermelon on the counter, I’ll cut it open like I’ve seen mom and dad do before”. I’ve talked to him about staying in his room until mom and dad are up and safety and waiting for breakfast, but the very next day he’s at it again.
Any advice?
Amanda·
We put a baby gate right in front of the door. So even if the boys wake they can’t do anything but scream for me to let them out lol
Melissa ·
Мама сына (5 лет)
I second the OK to wake alarm clock. My son was the same way. Even when he was 2 he was sneaking in the kitchen and helping himself. The OK to wake alarm clock helped alot!!!!!!
Mimi·
My middle child did this & still does occasionally she’s 6 now tho. She started around 3 I was ok with it but I have always had kitchen rules (no knives, scissors, don’t touch the knobs on the stove etc and she never tried. The most she would do was make a sticky mess or once when I was bed ridden after being in the icu she (5 at the time) made me breakfast it was a slice of bread with a fruit cup poured on top, topped with another slice of bread 🤢
Keiki Love·
Мама дочки (2 года)
@mimixtmn, 😆😆😆
Kristina ·
Мама сына-младенца
@mimixtmn, that breakfast is adorable but gross. Did you eat it?
Mimi·
@tapwater, omg no I couldn’t it was so disgusting I’ve always had an instant gag reflex to soggy bread and that was too much 😭.. I convinced her it looked delicious but I was just not hungry.. however she fed it to her little sister 🤢 who loved it
Mimi·
@spookylyn, what if there’s a fire and your child is locked in the room.... that’s more scary and dangerous then them not being in the room imo....
Mimi·
@spookylyn, to me I just think a) not all fires are started in common areas or kitchen, electrical fires are common & curious children can cause them. I also have a friend whose almost died because her house blew up in flames from outside and she was in her locked bedroom sleeping right above where the fire started. B) what if the parent were to be unconscious & baby locked in the room & nobody knows. Those are the main things that scare me right away at the thought. I also think it could cause some mental distress to my children feeling trapped. Also at 2&3 my children were getting up to use the potty as they please.
Beaky Mcspence·
I do know for our oldest who’s now 7 we didn’t lock his door but we put a baby gate up for a period of time in his doorway. For the reason being we live in Alberta and our winters can reach -30 and he was really bad for trying to open doors to get outside, and I was horrified he’d get out in just his PJs. Once he was old enough to go potty and figured out how to climb over the gate we took it down because by then he learned going outside without us wasn’t safe. My kids have always been big on getting up and having snacks in the am. We have a special drawer in the kitchen that has their “a.m. snacks” that their allowed to have. Since doing this they don’t go after anything else in the kitchen. Every evening before bed I take items and put them in the drawer so it’s not the same every time. They know which snacks they can grab if they wake up peckish and usually now take it back to their room lol
Like.A.Boss·
Thanks for the help ladies! I’ll try the alarm clock and I love the a.m. snack drawer idea @beakymcspence. I also do not understand the @user thing. I can’t seem to get it to work 😖
Like.A.Boss·
Well, we tried the clock thing. He brought it downstairs with him this morning at 5:15. So...on to plan B.