How to teach kids value of items?

Agutka

Boys 3 and 5 keep destroying everything. You buy new toothpaste, it will cover bathroom. Shampoos emptied into bath. Food squished into floors. No I don't watch them like a hawk, but its really getting me down.

go_cat

At 3 and 5 they are old enough to know this is bad behaviour ( unless there are any medical conditions that would affect awareness )

Do you make them clear it up? It may not be so much fun
Do they do it for attention
Are the doing it because they are bored?
What do they say when you tell them off

BitterAndTwisted

So start watching them like a hawk then? And correct them as soon as you spot unfavourable behaviour. If kids are left to run riot, then run riot they will!

CH27

Are they doing it for attention?

Put the toothpaste out of reach & put some on their brushes as they need it.
Are you leaving them unattended in the bathroom to cause such a mess?

LisaLou1982

Completely agree with gocat that they are old enough to know better.

The 3 year old wont know the value of money but they do know when they are doing something naughty.

Im sure they both find it extremely good fun to do what they do, and if youre not telling them otherwise then as far as they are concerned then its ok!!

Id advise explaining to them (particularly the 5 year year old) that it is a lot of money to replace things and that he must be more careful. Make it into a "better for the environment" game. They are young but can be taught,

Failing that, if you have told them repeatedly then they need to be punished when they are doing wrong things. Make them clean it up.

BitterAndTwisted

At their young age your disapproval is your mightiest weapon. So use it. And start watching them like a hawk. That's your job, ferchrissakes!

Things you don't want smeared on the walls or flushed down the lav need to be kept out of reach. If food is squished on the floors, they don't have food when they are not eating at the table. If they make a mess, they are made to clear it up.

podperson

I think the younger one especially is a little young to understand the actual 'value' of items - but they should still understand good and naughty behaviour and that the latter has consequences. What do you do when they destroy things - do they have to clean it up, removal of treats, time out etc? Do they destroy anything of their own such as their toys?

marisco_2

Agutka wrote: »

Boys 3 and 5 keep destroying everything. You buy new toothpaste, it will cover bathroom. Shampoos emptied into bath. Food squished into floors. No I don't watch them like a hawk, but its really getting me down.

To be behaving like this at 3 and 5 years old suggests they are left to their own devices too much. They seem to be totally unaware of right and wrong and any expected boundaries. Start watching them like a hawk and when they look like they are going to do something inappropriate step in and point out that they shouldn't do it. Emphasise at this point what you would like them to do instead.

They don't need to know how much it costs to replace something when it is destroyed. More to the point they should have examples set at every opportunity of how to treat things with respect.

BitterAndTwisted

I don't think the OP meant "value" per se but "respect for items in the home". They have to be actively taught and being corrected while you're watching them like a hawk is the way to do it.

Crying while you're mopping the floor as they go to another room to trash that while you're doing it will achieve nothing. Except constant disappointment and very possibly a nervous breakdown

pukkamum

This isn't about knowing the value of things, this is about discipline and bad behaviour.
When they do these things, personally, no children of that age is left al8ne in a bathroom, far too many hazards, are you telling them off and punishing them, or explaining gentle how much each thing cost.
If it's the latter you are in for big trouble.

minimoneysaver

My daughter used to love the children's magazines at that age. How about approaching it a different way....."Oh I'm sorry, but you can't have a magazine/sweets this weekend because the money for your sweets/magazine has to be used to replace the toothpaste that you squirted out."

Soon gets their attention!