4.5 year old keeps ruining my make up

[Tisfortired]

For the past few weeks my 4.5 year old DS keeps ruining my things. The first time he went into my make up bag and ruined every single thing in there and smeared it all over the walls in my room. Mascara, concealer, foundation everything. I was extremely angry but remained calm, made him help me clean it up and told him there would be no dessert or stories before bed that night.

The next day, he used crayons to draw all over the wall. Again, remained calm - told him I expect better of a big boy starting school in September and made him help me clean it.

On Sunday, he went into my nail varnish box, took a few into his room and painted most of his cars with two bottles of nail varnish. Not just his cars, but the windowsill, wall and brand new curtains we'd put up recently. It was everywhere. This time I was really angry and shouted. I cried. I'd just had enough, he is 5 in October surely this is toddler behaviour? I didn't make him help me clean up this time due to having to use nail varnish remover but I 'grounded' him. His favourite thing to do is play with the kids next door in their garden (they have a trampoline/mud kitchen/Wendy house and he loves going there.)

Then this morning, I went to wake him up for the day to find he's already awake, sneaked into the spare room and again - opened a bottle of nail varnish and painting the walls.

I'm so sorry for the length of this! I'm at my wits end and I don't know what to do. He seems unfazed (sp?) by punishments and I don't know how to handle it

As an update - we have a fun day out planned with my sister and his cousins on Saturday which I told him he is no longer going to. He screamed and spat in my face

Don't wear make up

Would "put the make up bag out of reach" be too simplistic here?

I have a similar age ds, everything is a toy. We have big talks about things that are precious to mummy, I've confiscated his important things in return. It just ends up with us both upset.

Rightly or wrongly I pick my battles and just put stuff I don't want him to have away where he can't get it.

Sorry I don't have any advice, my 3yo is similar. I just wanted to give you a more supportive reply than the one above!

I can only think maybe it's attention seeking or similar? Does he normally do things like this? Or maybe he sees you using the makeup and is curious about it? I guess it looks like interesting paint etc! Mine has never listened to a word I say and still draws on the walls at every opportunity. I have to keep crayons locked away. Maybe lock your makeup and similar away until he forgets about it?

Personally I had pens (no paint here as that's for school ) out of the kids reaches. I'd personally do the same with your makeup as he clearly can't resist. Did he see you cleaning up? Ie have an idea of how hard it is to remove makeup?

I can understand why he'd treat nail polish as paint and think it was a good idea to paint his car. Would he enjoy more arts and crafts with you during the day?

Agree with what others say about simply taking it out of his reach cos he clearly can't deal with the temptation.

But spitting in your face is more unusual, I'd say. Is there anything going on for him at the moment? Anything else you're worried about?