Toddler helping himself to breakfast

[archieballerina]

OK I'm probably going to get a roasting for this. My 2.9 son has recently started slinking out of bed, downstairs and by the time I wake up is in front of the telly having got himself a cup of water (chair pulled up to sink) and helped himself to yoghurt and fruit. He is doing it very stealthily as our room is next to his and I've left our door open to hear him but he sometimes managed to get past my radar. I am tempted to leave his cereal out and let him have a full breakfast. When do you let them do this? He's very careful, very rarely spills anything, completely capable of getting milk, pouring it out and putting it back again and shutting door (miles better than DH in fact.)

I would leave stuff out at his level so that he wasnt climbing, and try and teach him that he can choose from stuff on his table, and pour water from a wee bottle but no climbing on chairs.

I think the climbing on chairs is my fault. When we cook I let him stand on one to help me

How did you train him to do this? I think you deserve a round of applause!

Oh my ds does exactly the same - he has a wee table and chairs set from Ikea, and often uses the chair to get stuff that I have purposefully put out of his reach.

You just need to explain that he can get his own breakfast but no climbing. Failing that take the chairs to bed with you so that he cant climb.

If you really dont want him downstairs then stairgate is another option but..well...

Of course he wouldnt be able to open front/back door or access cupboards with dangerous stuff in would he?

Only other thing that would worry me would be kettle, but again, if you remove chairs then he wont be able to climb but will still be abvle to get breakfast.

Fantastic! If our dog didn't sleep in the kitchen I would definately be giving this ago!

yes i would absolutely let him do it

what a lovely independent little boy!

btw, i wouldn't have a problem with standing on chairs either. it's just a chair!

I wouldn't be happy with this myself, sorry. I think kitchens and unsupervised toddlers are a v bad combination. I also don't like the idea of a young child just being allowed to switch the television on - it is a bad pattern to get into imho.

Sorry.

Sounds great to me, as long as you remove anything he could hurt himself with.

You're only allowed to get smug when he brings you breakfast in bed

He knows the kettle/coffee machine off limits and frequently says "I don't like tea/coffee do I?" so I think we are ok. I could rope all the chairs together so he can't move them. He's pretty resourceful and sadly will probably find some other object to climb on; duplo box, stacking boxes... The only way to stop him would be a stairgate but I just wondered when it's ok to let your dc do this.

SBT no thanks he would generally give you something he didn't like so it would have bite marks.

Once kids start to "make" themselves breakfast , it wont stop.
Get some of those individual cerial boxes , plastic bowls and spoons and little cartons of milk (uhd ones are good) and keep them in a low cupboard for your ds to reach without using a stool/chair. SHOW AND TELL him this is where the breakfast stuff is kept now.
You could make it "his" cupboard , keep healthy snacks /fruit ,reward stickers for him in there too .Use it to your advantage! ...with any luck , by the time he`s 16 he will be making his own dinner ! .

geordie- i am so glad for your second post as i was thinking- my goodness i dont think a toddler drinking from a wee bottle is a good idea. but you referred to a wee table too so i figured you meant a little bottle!

I think it's wonderful that you have managed to foster independence in such a small boy. Well done! I would second leaving things out for him so that he doesn't have to climb and maybe unplugging the electrical things before you go to bed so he's not able to use them. I wouldn't think a stairgate would help at this age TBH, if he is able to climb chairs then surely he would manage a stairgate?

I'm not overjoyed about him switching the television on which is why he goes downstairs so quietly. I'm just wondering if I unplugged the TV what he would do. I guess have breakfast and play with some toys. Gleefully plans experiment!

just to be safe , id empty and move the kettle to an unreachable spot, and make sure the cooker is off at the mains.

leave his cereal out and let him get his breakfast then, along with some fruit etc.

As long as he is otherwise safe in the kitchen.

Also, I would suggest a tall stair gate with an alarm, about £$30 in Argos - the alarm rings when it is opened

i wouldn't cordone off chairs. i really can't see how he can come to harm climbing on a dining chair

better than having him find something else to climb on which could be much less safe

my 2.5 yr old climbs up all sorts of things at the park.... am pretty sure a chair is the least of your worries!

i think it's good to allow them to do this by themselves too, without saying "oh well you can do it, but you have to do it my way"

I have a 6 yo. that it took so long in this house!

drL now you have worried me as we have knives on a rack on the wall. Our house is pretty safe all chemicals are in cupboards he can't reach, also he knows he isn't allowed in them and he doesn't touch the cooker, has never attempted the kettle but I'll unplug tonight just in case.

My 3.2yr old has had a nice routine for a few months now. She gets up, goes downstairs, has a wee, washes her hands, makes breakfast for both of us (all 3 of us if dh is home) and puts it on a tray. I'm just working on her carrying it upstairs now!

She's ridiculously stubborn independent though. Even if she wants porridge, she puts the oats and milk in a pan, puts it on the hob, gets a wooden spoon and then shouts for me to do the hob for her (she isn't allowed). Ditto toast, bread in toaster, margarine out, knife out and then calls for help with the toaster (again out of bounds).

Obviously, I don't just lie in bed and let her do this every day. I pootle around, unload the washing machine, tidy up, make beds etc. She's just used to making her own breakfast. In fact she insists upon it.

Wonder what else I can get her to do?

I think your DS sounds lovely, and obviously very bright.
What does worry me is wondering what he will try to do next? Just because you've said 'no toaster' etc. doesn't mean that one day he won't decide to try and toast a Weetabix, or copy what you do with the Microwave, or put the hob on, or cut up his fruit with a big knife. Logic is not a 2yo strong point IME.

I would probably be fitting a stairgate at the top of the stairs. And continuing to develop his kitchen skills with a bit more supervision.

FlyingPig he can't reach the microwave otherwise he'd be trying this too. I love the idea of your dd demanding you do the hot stuff right now.

I wonder if I should admit to the fact that she also pegs the washing out?