Am I being too harsh with my punishment?

Question

My daughter is 2 years old. She has been getting into this bad habit of taking her mattress off of her toddler bed. I am getting sick of having to put it back so today I told her, "if you are able to take it off, you should be able to put it back." She sat there for 10 min's screaming and throwing a temper tantrum but she did eventually put it back on her own. Was I too harsh? Or was it ok what I did?

Answer 1

She put it back, didn't she?

But I wouldn't try that in a department store.  Unless you specifically wanted to make the point that other people don't appreciate tantrums.  

(Let's hope it's a phase - a short one.  Oh, yes!  2 yrs. old!)

On reading others' answers - yay, Celexa!

Answer 2

I would have done the same.  I think the punishment fit the crime perfectly!!

Answer 3

I think you did exactly what you needed to.  She got your point and it was effective.

Answer 4

What you did was great. Great for you. And it is great she put it back on.

See my daughter, she would tell me no, you put it back on. If I say no, you do it she will tell me to just throw it away!

AHHHHHHHHHH!

Answer 5

No, that's not too harsh at all. Keep standing your ground.

Answer 6

I think that was wonderful parenting. It was smart of you to have her put it back. Using the punishment as a teaching tool !!!!  

Answer 7

Well done, that was definitely the best way to handle the situation!

Answer 8

You're doing great!

When our son (2y old) makes a mess on purpose (throws food from high chair), we've started making him pick up the food and wipe the floor.  Oddly, he likes cleaning up, so I guess it's not much of a deterrent.  

Answer 9

I don't think you're being too harsh at all. I did that kind of thing with my daughter who is nearly 4 now and she's one of the best behaved children you'll ever meet, and I believe it all comes from good discipline.

Parents let their kids get away with so much in the first couple of years of their life, and then expect the child to know right from wrong when I just think if you teach them right in the first place you're likely to have less problems.

If my daughter doesn't do as she's told, she doesn't go anywhere or do anything else until she's done it, but I also help her with things and show her how to do them and when she does I tell her what a great job she's done and it makes her want to do good things to keep getting praised

Answer 10

Good job

Answer 11

i don't know how heavy the mattress is but as long as she is able to easily put it back on without too much trouble then I think it is a fine punishment. However, you need to consider how hard the mattress is to lift, sure she can lift it back up but she may be putting alot of strain on her back to do so. ... maybe you could make the punishment that she has to help you put it back up

Answer 12

Your fine, it is true and you were right Good Job MOMMY!!! ;~)

Answer 13

To me that sounds like the perfect thing to do. The tantrums will fade as she realises that you are serious. She screams and cries as a way of telling you she's not happy with what you said to her but she needs to learn to deal with it and that she can't always be pleased.

Answer 14

i would do the same  

Answer 15

Nope, good job. And if i was you if she doesn't put it on then that's where I'd be putting her to sleep right on the floor where her mattress landed.  

Answer 16

I do not think that was harsh at all. She made the mess. She should clean it up!  

Answer 17

On top of putting her bed back she would have gotten something to make her cry and throw that temper tantrum. My 23 month Tries the same things. When she has her tantrums I tell her I am going to give you a reason to have them. They are getting less and less. You did great in my book!

Answer 18

No i dont think you were to harsh i have a 2 year old son and his does stuff like this all the time and i make him pick it up. They need to learn they are not in control and when they mess up they need to pick up. I think it was ok what you did. It does get frustrating when they keep doing the same thing over and over.

Answer 19

not harsh

firm

Answer 20

it's a great thing you did she has to learn there are consequences to bold things that she does. by doing this she will learn that if she pulls it of she must fix it and eventually she will tire of it and you shouldnt have the problem much longer. you were right and it wasnt cruel so relax you are teching your girl a valuable lesson which will be necessary in later life.  

Answer 21

No you was fine. i would have did the same thing i do do the same thing my daughter is about to turn 4. how do they learn that for each action there is something that happens being good or bad. she pulled the mattress off the bed eve after you put it back several times then she needed to put it back herself. he was makeing it a game and you got sick of playing the game and that was the way to show her. heck today my daughter thre something on the floor today i told her to pick it up she said i am tired so i gave her the choice to pick it up  or if she was so tired to go to bed. well she picked it up and put it where it belonged. i have neen like that for a long time with her. i am her mother not her full time slave,she pulls out her tpys to play she puts them back i got sick of putting them back just to have her laugh and throw then everywhere. if you do it all for hem after you tell them no they will begin to loose respect for you and expect it.

Answer 22

That was wonderful. I feel the same with my 2 year old son. You threw it there you pick it up. If I put some thing some where it doesn't go I have to pick it up. Way to teach responsibility early. Kudos and keep up punishments that fit the crime.

Answer 23

u did a great job!!! if it was me I would have taken her bed out and left her w the mattress for a day! lol