She climbed up to get the Weetabix

[Bingoisthebestnotbluey]

Dd is 4,5 and very headstrong. She had Weetabix for breakfast-3, which was excessive to me. Later on she asked for more Weetabix as a snack, I don’t want her to have more as she has stomach issues with constipation etc & tummy aches. I got her a snack of strawberries & yoghurt and said there were tangerines & apples too. She threw a huge fit screaming and shouting that she wanted to have Weetabix and trying to knock them out of the cupboard with the sweeping brush. I took them out and put them up really high and she was shouting again. When she’d calmed down, she ate the strawberries and yoghurt and said she just wanted Weetabix because she likes it and that I should let her have what she wants 🙄I explained again why she couldn’t have more Weetabix and we’re only having them for breakfast. She accepted it and it was over (I thought)
Just making dinner before and she said she was hungry, I got her a banana & tangerine and nipped to the loo. When I came out, she’d put her wooden step up to the cupboards, got the Weetabix out and was in the process of putting them in her bowl! Aibu to have lost it?

Weetabix has plenty of fibre. So nothing wrong with that for a child prone to constipation. Just not all the time.

I agree though, that she needs to learn that no means no, and that she can have the options you offered or nothing.

Yeah, you're far too controlling. You will make her obsessed with food this way.

Is probably just hungry due to having a growth spurt.

And taking away pocket money at 4 is age-inappropriate.

My 3.5 is like this. I’d have let her have it in the first place as I class weetabix as a healthy snack and I’m conscious I don’t find fruit filling and I’m not constantly growing.

Exactly but MN is so weird about food.

If your child asks for it, apparently they must have it or food issues 🙄

You did the right thing OP and the posters wondering if kids know the value of money at that age, well you know your own child, so only you will know if it's a suitable punishment.

It's Monday, not giving pocket money at the weekend will not work as a punishment for a 4 year old.

While you're cooking dinner, you'd give your DC a 'snack' of Weetabix?

I have one like this & weetabix is totally tame in relation to what she wants! But I do get your point. We all lose it sometimes. I probably would have just let her have one tbh but I do appreciate what the doctor has told you.

Do 4.5 year olds have pocket money? Mine never did at that age.

Your right to follow the Dr's advice maybe hide it out of her eyesight completely and only keep two "visible" for breakfast

It's easy to laugh and praise when you don't have to be the one who has to deal with constipation I had serious stomach issues because all I wanted was all bran it made me seriously ill in the end my parents never had it in the house again because they couldn't say no to a five year old

My 6 year old had a Milky Way after her tea. She has been told she’s not allowed a second one. She’s not happy about that.

Is this controlling? Is my refusal going to give her issues with food??

Of course it is, therefore the OP did the right thing.

You're completely right in holding the boundary firm, but immediate and related consequences are more effective.
You may find it's tough at the weekend when she's not getting pocket money to get her to remember a Weetabix incident on Tuesday.
Something like not being allowed to play and instead having to sweep the floor to clean up the mess after dragging over her step stool and getting crumbs all over would be directly related to her actions, and means you don't have to keep a running tally of consequences you need to enforce on later dates.

I wish my children would steal weetabix from the cupboard.

I would weep for joy if my 2 year old even licked one .

<misses point>

The consequence is way too long after the event

This is one where people will be split.
At the end of the day, you said no to the extra weetabix and offered an alternative each time.
She pushed a boundary and didn't get a result she wanted from it.

That said, I have a child that lives off nothing but Crumpets and pasta 🤣

Personally, I wouldn't have took the pocket money, but my kids wouldn't get the relevance at that age.
Maybe just explain that she can't have too much to help with her tummy because of what Dr said?

The only unreasonableness in your behaviour is giving pocket money to a 4,5 year old.

Of course she needs boundaries, not ok the weetabix episode.

YABU for losing your shit about weetabix

No, you are dead right, no is no, end of.

She is bright. And has spirit. Far better than a uneventful dull child.

By all means keep an eye on her food intake generally but she is growing and still very small with a lot of growing to do. As others say, don't turn it into a thing.

No idea what you feed her overall.
Pocket money for a 4.5 year old seems very young for them to have.

This. What's wrong with weetabix? I suggest you choose your battles.

And what 4 year old has pocket money? What does she spend it on?

You were making dinner. You don't have to pander to a child saying they're hungry when dinner is being made

The world won't end because a child doesn't get exactly what they want, when they want it.

I guess at 4.5 she could easily be at school, so useful for her to get used to no meaning no.
She sounds very bright and enterprising.
I didn't know 4 year olds had pocket money. How much?

I feel like you don't have a great understanding of nutrition. Try serving the cereal with fruit? We follow intuitive eating, so if he wants more and we have it then I allow it.