Spitting.....how do we deal with it?

[collision]

I am at the end of my tether as is DH. My ds who is 2.8yrs has started spitting whenever he is cross or is told off. It is revolting and makes me so sad as he is usually such a sweetie.

He picked it up from a neighbour's son who is 3.5yrs and now I dont think he should see him at all.

We have tried ignoring it, naughty step, smacking, now we are stopping TV and sweets and if he does it again today his favourite toy is being taken away!

I think he is a bit young for a star chart ATM. Also, he has a new baby brother which I know you will all say it is a reaction to him, but this spitting has been going on for a while.

If I had spat at my parents I know I would have been knocked into the middle of next week. So, what do we do?

I think you are doing things right. Its difficult when they are so young.
Have you had a chat about germs etc with him. Maybe discuss things like why we wash our hands after going to the toilet and put our hands to mouth when sneezing etc. Then Id say that spitting also spreads grems and is horrible. Then repeat Its a phase ad infinitum till he stops

bump

Don't know the answer sorry collision. Just to say that my ds who is also 2.8yrs does the same thing.
I don't know where he got it from either! I will await any replies with interest.
I do find it awful, and he knows that - he looks for a reaction from me. I think that even if i do try to ingnore it, i can't help my face looking in disgust. So i think i am really going to try hard to walk off whistling with a happy face!

DS is 2.3 and has started spitting (and spitting out food for no apparent reason, except to wind me up). Assume it is just a phase however I await further posts from more experienced mothers with interest!

My ds who has just turned 4 did this for a while - in fact it wasn't till i saw this post that I realised he hasn't done it for ages. What worked for us was definitely not reacting - if he knew he'd wound me up (which was incredibly as I hated it) he would do it again. So, with incredible self control (!) I would say 'that's not nice, please don't do it again' in a very unwound up voice iykwim and then move on. Seems to have worked....

ignore it if you can

but if it is such an issue be consistent with approach .. I favour a strong expression of NO then the naughty step and ignoring him for a couple of minutes each and every time

then do a star chart for good behaviour maybe

as an aside you cannot keep him away from the other child though, at least I don't think you should ..

believe me it is indescribably difficult going through the process of realising you aren't the only influence on your child and unfortunately he is getting to the age where what his peers do will affect his behaviour .. every single child will have something that you don't want to see in your child (unless you met my children of course who are, after all, gods ).. you cannot isolate him from all of them

never forget a 3.5 year old is still a 'baby' .. probably seems so much bigger than your child that he should know better .. but he won't and he doesn't

Just thought that you would like to know, TWSpider, that since we have started chatting bout germs, ds has not spat once! Dont know if it is to do with the germs or if he is just not high on sugar since we stopped the sweets!!

He is very interested in the germ thing and keeps asking about it!

I agree with what you said, Twiglett, but there are other issues with neighbours boy that I didnt go into inc foul language, biting his mother and headbutting ds, but that is a whole other thread!!

I know you cant protect them forever! Wish I could.