Eating on the couch

[Anonymous]

Why don’t these kids listen to me when I say don’t eat in the couch? Do I just need to accept that they won’t listen to me? I just lost it when I found a bunch of crumbs after saying don’t eat on the couch.

[Anonymous]

No, you don’t need to accept it. What do you normally do when they break a rule?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, you don’t need to accept it. What do you normally do when they break a rule?

Time outs, which don’t work.

[Anonymous]

Break out the vacuum and put them to work.

[Anonymous]

How old are they? And where are you when they ignore you and go eat on the couch? I wouldn’t do a time out for this. Tell them you’ve made it clear they’re not to do it and the next time they do they will lose screens for X amount of time.

[Anonymous]

Following. My 7 year old thinks one of our chairs is her private cafe. I’m on her to sit at the table, and semi successful when in the room. But anytime I’m upstairs or away for the day I find wrappers in the cushions. I make her clean it up but she seems ok with any punishment and keeps on. I’m strict and take things away too. She’s not concerned with any punishment minus maybe us but having a couch <- that last bit is a joke literal readers-

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, you don’t need to accept it. What do you normally do when they break a rule?

Time outs, which don’t work.

Yeah those don’t work after age 4-5 or so, I feel like.

Definitely make them clean it up, but I would also take the snacks or whatever they are eating on the couch away for a bit. Hide it if you need to. They have shown they can’t be trusted with XX food around. Not forever so that it’s forbidden fruit, just a week or two.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why don’t these kids listen to me when I say don’t eat in the couch? Do I just need to accept that they won’t listen to me? I just lost it when I found a bunch of crumbs after saying don’t eat on the couch. [/quote

Stop buying snacks for a while. If they'r caught eating on the couch when you'renot around they lose a privilege. ]

[Anonymous]

Every time they start to walk out of the kitchen call them back. "You can either stay here and eat or leave the food here and go sit on the couch, but not both. You choose."

If they sneak to do it, I'd tell them they're no longer allowed in the room the couch is in. "You're not allowed in the family room anymore because you don't use it responsibly. I've told you there's no food allowed in here." Then make them stay out for about a week, then try again.

We don't allow food outside the kitchen or dining room. Our kids know this. It was enforced from time they were toddlers and able to walk and hold a bowl at the same time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every time they start to walk out of the kitchen call them back. "You can either stay here and eat or leave the food here and go sit on the couch, but not both. You choose."

If they sneak to do it, I'd tell them they're no longer allowed in the room the couch is in. "You're not allowed in the family room anymore because you don't use it responsibly. I've told you there's no food allowed in here." Then make them stay out for about a week, then try again.

We don't allow food outside the kitchen or dining room. Our kids know this. It was enforced from time they were toddlers and able to walk and hold a bowl at the same time.

+1

Time outs aren't usually effective.

It's easier when the expectation has been there for a long time but with determination you can change things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Following. My 7 year old thinks one of our chairs is her private cafe. I’m on her to sit at the table, and semi successful when in the room. But anytime I’m upstairs or away for the day I find wrappers in the cushions. I make her clean it up but she seems ok with any punishment and keeps on. I’m strict and take things away too. She’s not concerned with any punishment minus maybe us but having a couch <- that last bit is a joke literal readers-

This is interesting to me. I wonder why your child does this. I am not strict at all, I feel like, and my kids never eat outside where they are supposed to eat.

In your shoes I'd keep at it, but I think that at a certain point kids are just different and you cannot control everything they can do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Following. My 7 year old thinks one of our chairs is her private cafe. I’m on her to sit at the table, and semi successful when in the room. But anytime I’m upstairs or away for the day I find wrappers in the cushions. I make her clean it up but she seems ok with any punishment and keeps on. I’m strict and take things away too. She’s not concerned with any punishment minus maybe us but having a couch <- that last bit is a joke literal readers-

This is interesting to me. I wonder why your child does this. I am not strict at all, I feel like, and my kids never eat outside where they are supposed to eat.

In your shoes I'd keep at it, but I think that at a certain point kids are just different and you cannot control everything they can do.

I definitely pick my battles. Repetition and time will sort some of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Break out the vacuum and put them to work.

This! Then sit on the couch and give them another chore.

[Anonymous]

Why are they leaving the kitchen with food at all? My kids eat at the island, kitchen table or dining room. That’s it. Was there a period of time when you let them wander with food? Do you sometimes let them eat on the couch? Set clear boundaries and they’ll follow.

[Anonymous]

But if I didn't let them eat on the couch, then I'd have to stop doing it, too