to not feed the children until they clean up their mess?

[Branno]

feeding baby so excuse typos! DD x 2, aged 4 since April and will be 3 in August. Favourite game is to ransack the kitchen in the am - eggs, flour, jelly you name it all over the floor. I was cleaning it up then thought "hang on - not on". They cleaned very well the other day when they were banned from ice cream. Today I said " enough, you made the mess you clean it and until the kitchen floor is cleaned no school, no food and no fun from me" That was at 6am - by 2pm still not done and an air of revolution. They are in bed for nap - aibu? Or simply breaking their spirit? Want to bawl and DH is away. Posting from LA + wonky times.

doesn't the fact that she has disappeared suggest that perhaps this is a wind-up?

if it isn't, OP, I think you probably know your answer by now - yes, YABU. but if you are genuine, i think you need to call on some friends for a bit of help, get out of the house, play something messy outside (do you have a sand or water play area near you? sounds like your dcs would love that! ). i only have one toddler and a baby but recognise the "how do i deal with this?" feeling, especially in the face of stubborness that only a 2 year old is capable of. Getting out of the house saves my sanity!

Be gentle with yourself - it does sound like you are at the end of your tether, esp with DH away. But feed your children and make sure they have enough to drink, hungry/thirsty children don't behave any better....

Blimey, I say give the OP a break - she has a baby, two children downstairs on their own while she is doing something with baby upstairs could make that mess in minutes - good grief with all the neglect chat.

And I know how easy it is to make a threat - "no food till you clear up" and then not be able to back down and it gets over wraught. Obviously now is the time to stop and reassess, but if kids asleep it doesn't sound like they are in huge distress.

When they wake feed them then clean up together. If this is a one off then no long lasting damage will be done.

OP, sort yourself out. Get cupboard locks. Small kids make mess, that's part of the deal. If you can't cope why on earth did you have three kids?
Poor bloody kids.Do they have parenting course in LA if so you need one and quick.
Of course you might well be a troll....

btw all my reachable kitchen cupboards had child locks on and that includes the ones containing flour, cereal, pasta and the like BECAUSE small kids LOVE to throw them around. they are not being naughty, it's bloody good fun.
I also had a gate over the kitchen door so they couldn't get in when I was upstairs and not able to closely supervise.
It's not blooming rocket science is it? Get a grip woman.

Bloody hell OP

I hope this is a wind-up

Last night my DD2yo, had a talc fight in my bedroom, she came down stairs covered in it, bedroom was completely white

This morning she got in the rabbits hutch, and she and my floor are covered in hay and wood shavings

By your standards, What is an acceptable punishment for my DD?

3 days without food?