Okay, I have a beautiful little 3 year old girl who can be the sweetest and funniest little thing I've ever seen. Of course, she can also make me want to pull all my hair out too. But all that aside, she's going through a sneaky phase and I'm not quite sure what to do about it or how to handle it. Most of the time it's in the early morning. She gets up, doesn't wake me, grabs her chair or stool, and heads straight for the freezer to pig out on ice-cream for breakfast! Or really anytime she thinks no one is looking, she's getting into things she knows she's not supposed to. I know she's exploring and figuring things out for herself and all that stuff, but I don't want her to get into something one day that might harm her. The worst part of it, is she's lies about it right to my face. Doesn't even bat an eye. How do I handle this? How to I explain to her what lying is? Do I punish her? Help me out here moms! I'm new at this!
Gabby,
I have 3 boys and I want to assure you that things will get better as she gets older. If you were around my 2 (almost 3) year old you wouldn't take my reassurance to save your life because he is the tazmanian devil in an angel's body. However, my oldest two are proof that things do get better and easier for us (until they reach the teenage years from what I understand).
Anyway, don't take credit away from your little one, she knows the difference between a lie and the truth or she wouldn't lie in the first place. If there wasn't a punishment for eating ice cream for breakfast, she would wake you up with the ice cream tub and two spoons! There are child-proof locks for the fridge/freezer and you might want to invest in one to deter the sneakiness. They work for 90% of children that age. I was in the 10% with my youngest for every child-proof thing you can imagine, including medicine bottles and dead bolts but that's another story. On a serious note, if she is waking up before you and roaming the house, you might want to put an alarm on her bedroom door so you'll know when she's up so that she doesn't get into something other than the ice cream or so she doesn't go outside, God forbid.
As far as the lying goes, you have to come up with some sort of punishment that fits the crime, so to speak. If there isn't a punishment (reaction) for her action then she'll continue the behavior because you're allowing her to. Try reading stories to her or watching a movie that shows someone lying and their punishment and use that punishment when she lies. She'll relate the two. If not, set up a video camera and record her doing what she's not suppose to do. If she lies, show her the video and then punish her.
The situation is funny as far as her pigging out on ice cream for breakfast but I urge you to start correcting her now because she really could get into something that could hurt her. Hang in there, girl, my oldest and my youngest gave the phrase "he's a busy baby" a whole new meaning!!!
I would definitely put a chain lock up at the top of the front door too. I've heard of several little ones getting outside while the parents slept. My granddaughter being one. She got out when she was just that age. Fortunately someone found her in the front yard and took her inside. But she could have gotten in the street or worse, been abducted. Don't take chances.
I agree with Ide. There better be punishment or you will be in trouble when she gets older. My son used to get spanked for lying, even if he wouldn't have been punished for what he did wrong. Lying was a #1 NO NO.
I remember once when he left his bike in the front yard after being told umpteen times not to. When his dad came home and saw it, he hid it. He later asked my son where it was. He lied about it. If he had been honest, he probably would have gotten another scolding. But because he lied, he got his little behind warmed up.
Thanks for the advice Ide & BYS! I've got a long road ahead of me, I know!
