Do you hide things from the kids?

[Mummyongin]

Do you hide things, specifically to hold boundaries eg screens, remotes, snacks etc? If not, how do you hold the boundary if it’s being pushed?

I used to hide my coconut Boost bars and Walkers Cheese & Onion from my small child
It wasn't a boundary so much as greed and hypocrisy though.

Chocolate, yes; important life decisions (we move a lot for DH’s job), no.

I try not to, but sometimes we have to hide the fruit bowl / ipad so he’ll eat meals

No, I don't. With snacks, I find the best approach is "when it's gone, it's gone". I buy snacks once a week so if the DC eat them too quickly there will be none left for the end of the week.

For screens, giving a 5 minute warning helps (rather than suddenly saying it's time to come off). Also, I make sure that mine are kept busy with alternative passtimes (sport, music etc) so that screen time is 'naturally' limited rather than imposing a limit.

When my children were children, I used an old fashioned timer for game time and tv time. When it went off, the time was up and they knew it. No arguments. My kids also knew that any moaning about getting off meant an immediate 3 day ban. There was no equivocation about that.

I don’t hide things from ~22 month old DS per se, but I avoid having my phone out around him or snacking endlessly in front of him, as he obviously doesn’t have the cognition to understand that there might be a legitimate reason that I can and he can’t. It’s not a boundary as such, more just a practicalIty of life with a small child. Obviously dangerous things are hidden.

I don't hide electronics, if I tell them they can't have something for whatever reason they will not touch them (do moan about it).
Treats I store in the garage, the girls will not take without asking. The boy is a pain in the arse for sneaking in and taking when I am busy, gets better then falls back in the habit. He never touches my treats though.

@ChairCareOh

No, I don’t hide anything. What kind of thing are you thinking of? I’m not sure what you would need to hide.

The issue that made me post is that my 5 year old gets up at 5.30am and eats chocolate and crisps and watches tv for 1-2 hours before anyone else is up. Then won’t eat breakfast. It’s not an ideal routine for her and DH wants/tries to hide things but I’m worried about starting a sneak competition.

Yes! TV remote (and sadly the power cable as they've worked out how to switch it on without the remote!) To stop 7yr old from getting up pre 6am on a Saturday to blast the house with TV. If he knows he can't watch it he stays in bed with a book or goes back to sleep.

Tablets etc I use screen time restrictions on because I can't be bothered with the fight of trying tonget it off them.

Food not really unless it is really special. They know they are in hot water if things outside of "the allowed free" for all spaces are touched.

I think the issue is your 5 year old is up unattended. I couldn't stay in bed while a young child was unsupervised.

Yes, in that instance I would hide crisps and chocolate ... maybe leave out some fruit or cereal. Or tell you DD that it's too early to get up.

I would 100% put the chocolate and crisps away in your situation initially just to gain control of her diet. She evidently doesn’t have the self control to understand why it’s bad for her health. The TV is a difficult one. Do you think she is waking specifically to watch TV? Is she allowed to watch it during the day? Some kids are wired for an early start and, if the tv keeps her occupied and the rest of the house asleep, I could get over this more. If you decide to hide the remote you’ll have to have other activities ready.

I’m this instance I would definitely hide snacks snd the remote.

Not hidden from our 3-year-old, but the remotes are on a high bookshelf and the snacks are in a child-proof cupboard. He's only 3, he doesn't get free reign!

Yep I hide the TV remote if I don't want them watching it (like before school) and occasionally hide sweet snacks if he is getting into the habbit of climbing up for them. I find it better not to have them in the house instead though. Healthier for all of us. (Or instead I buy chocolate for myself and hide it 😂)

Yes, my pants drawer is full of Creme Eggs

Not hidden but snacks are in a high cupboard which my five year could access if she could be bother. I wouldn’t be leaving her unattended for 2 hours in the morning.

I'm pretty lax on the whole but that's a long time for a 5 year old to be up unsupervised!

We’ve tried using the gro clock but as she is unsupervised she just ignores it. She’s always been an early waker but the lure of the tv does seem to make her get up even earlier. We’ve tried putting the tv on a timed plug but she worked out how to use the google speaker to turn the plug on, she frequently works out our hiding places for things. The morning snacking is new so previously we didn’t have a reason to hide snacks. Is the answer really to set my alarm for 5.30 every morning to supervise her!? I’m a night owl so this is not my preferred solution obviously but I will consider it.

@Firesidefox

Yes, my pants drawer is full of Creme Eggs

We’ve tried putting the tv on a timed plug but she worked out how to use the google speaker to turn the plug on, she frequently works out our hiding places for things.

Does she not have consequences for such blatantly bad behaviour?

@ChairCareOh

Also, I would be extremely worried about a child that young being unsupervised for hours every morning. God knows what trouble she could get into. It’s no different from leaving her home alone. You need to get up with her or find a way of keeping her in bed for longer.

Exactly. Fucking hell, a 5 year old needs to be supervised. Get your arse out of bed.