4 year old drawing on everything

[ifoundthebread]

Any advice on how to get a 4 year old to stop drawing on things she shouldn't? This has been an occasional issue since she was around 2, maybe once every couple of months but has escalated this past week or so. This week alone has drawn on the back of her bedroom door, the living room wall, the front cover of a book, on one of her teddies, inside a book and on her self. We have removed her privilege of choosing what is on the TV when it's her turn to choose, she has been on the naughty step, pens/pencils/crayons have been removed (then she went on to draw in a book with a crayon she found an hour later), tonight she has been sent straight to bed without getting to open her advent calender (we did a book version). I'm at my wits end, I dont know what to do next?

Only give her crayons etc when you can supervise her.

We just accepted it and redecorated once my 4 year old was over this phase. She drew all over the walls in the front room and the hallway.

Sorry that is really not helpful, hopefully someone else has better advice!

No advice sorry, but it reminds me of my friends mum who is a norland nanny. Her son age 7 wrote on the kitchen table 'i love you mummy' she wrote back 'i love you too, but please dont write on the table'. Its still there to this day, her sons now 34. 😁

Santa doesn’t come to little girls who do naughty things? I’m sure others will think that’s tantamount to child abuse but tbh at this time of year I would take the opportunity, other than that I think you are doing all the right things and hopefully she will grow out of it.

Facilitate, encourage her and supervise her.
You have a budding artist, or at least the interest.

Rub a bit of T cut on the walls, soon comes off. Failing this hairspray is good.
Please stop punishing her for something quite normal that many kids do.
You don't socialise and discipline through punishment.

I love her flare for drawing/writing and have tried to facilitate this, bought her plain and lined paper, paper of different colours, pens/pencils/crayons/stamps/stickers, even bought her a small table for in her room so she has somewhere to go where her little brother can't bother her and she still likes to draw on everything else 😔

Put paper all over the walls so she can draw on them.

Relax.
You have a budding artist.

Why does it bother you?

It s a typical phase....take photos and celebrate. You will look back with fondness in years to come.

It's her way of communication? All the excitement of Christmas?

Seriously she is 4, not 18 months.

When my 3 yr old did this we gave an immediate consequence of no pens, no storytime (that was about to happen when we saw it) and they lost a treat the next day (a special snack that had been planned) in part payment for the damage.
We didn't go on about it or shout or anything but they didn't do it again.

Keep all drawing and writing materials out of her way unless supervised.

Keep all drawing and writing materials out of her way unless supervised. THIS. Make sure she has plenty of opportunity draw supervisored.