You know in those parenting books and parenting classes when they say......

[poppiesinaline]

if your child spills something, don't make a big fuss, just say 'oh dear the juice has been spilt, never mind' and mop it up cos you will undermine their confidence if you get cross...

I just can not help it.. I just can not bite my tongue and smiley sweetly when DS1 has been fidget, fidget, fidget and I have said twice, ''please sit still or we will have the juice on the floor" and then cos of his silly behaviour we then have juice on the floor, and I have to mop it up while trying to dish up dinner with a crying toddler cos he is hungry all because DS1 can not sit still when I have told him toooooooo

or is it just me ?

Didn't come across this in any parenting books. I think that if something is totally an accident, then that is one thing - spilling juice when they've just moved on to a cup without a lid fro example, or having a toileting accdient when they've been out of nappies for a few weeks. But if you've asked them to do somthing twice, then I'd have mine back to a lidded cup in a flash (I occasionally threaten my 5 yo with this!)

How old is ds1? And how long has he been using a cup?

He is 10 10 for crying out loud!!!! He has been using a cup for ... errm let me see.... errmmm 7 years !!!

mmmm just me then

not just you, I do it too, my 6 yr old spills things cause of fidgeting and I have told her again and again each time, careful, sit still or you'll spill it.....................then she spills it

I know EXACTLY where you are coming from

I think that the advice you've read is for 2 year olds not 10 year olds?!

Any why the hell were you mopping up? He's 10 ffs! Trust me - if he has to clean it up every time he won't spill it!

Just checking - this isn't a SN thread int he worng category is it, because I didn't mean to offend. Just not sure what you were talking about undermining his confidence? Does he have difficulties in using a cup?

10? Well if he is fooling around with a drink you take it away. And if it gets spilt he clears up - I make my 4-year-old mop up her spills. (Although I have to finish the job!).

I think the advice is good for very little ones and for genuine accidents. Although I'd expect the child to apologize and help clean up an accident too.

Maybe the point in the parenting books is that you shouldn't shout and get cross? You just say "the cloth is by the sink" and don't let them have another drink.

I still remember my mum really shouting at me when I was little because I spilt a glass of Ribena on the carpet. now I think why did she let me drink it in a room she didn't want anything spilled in? My dd usually drinks water but when she does have juice she drinks it in the dining room as it has a wooden floor and not a beige carpet like in the living room. If something is an accident I don't shout. However if i've told her to be careful with something and she hasn't been and it spills I do point out if she'd been careful like I asked it would not have happened.

no ladymuck, he is a full functioning 10 year old.

Yes, you are right, I should get him to clear it up but when you have a 21 month old racing round, its just quicker and easier to do it myself, before ds2 starts paddling in it.

Its not just spills. Its other stuff.

me: 'please do not whirl that yo-yo round your head.. someone will get hit and hurt'

Me "I told you not to whirl that yo-yo"

honestly,... I give up I really do!

TrinityRhino - its nice to know Im not alone

fruitful - you sound like that parenting book!

you are right, you are right, I know, I know..

Keep kitchen roll on the table and make him jump down IMMEDIATELY and mop it up. Consquences so much more effective than punishments I think!

poppies just spotted your thread. MSN?

this happens in our house alot. Ds1 (5) spills things, drops things etc all the time - because he's not paying attention and, sometimes, when you've had a hard day and he's been annoying it is hard not to get cross.

sympathies

Sorry poppies! I do a nice line in Screaming Banshee Mum myself.

Then I tell them off for shouting at me. .