2 year old threw her food across the floor so I put her directly to bed 1 our early

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is after several months of pretty successful redirection, take plate away etc.

She didn't resist going to bed and fell to sleep pretty easily.

Was this not a good approach? What should I do at this stage where she very clearly knows throwing her plate across the floor is wrong.

1. It sounds like she needed the sleep, so it was fine. However, do not use bedtime as a punishment. If she misbehaves and you think it is because she is tired, do not punish her. Do not get mad. Just calmly finish what you are doing and get her ready for bed like you normally do, albeit earlier.

2. She is two. Her brain is still majorly under developed. Even if she "knows" throwing her plate is wrong, her impulse control is still very weak. At this age I would still be thinking about finding ways to limit her opportunity to throw, and also reflecting on what the behavior is communicating. Limiting = suction cup plates, having less food on plate so it is less messy (if that is an issue), and perhaps even making meal times shorter. As for communicating, often plate throwing occurs when kids are bored (i.e., not hungry or done eating), or when they want attention (because I bet that got your attention pretty quickly). Keep meal times short, be responsive to her other bids for attention and/or do not give a big reaction if she does throw because that is also attention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't use that as a "punishment". Certainly not for a 2yo.

But it sounds like she needs to catch up on sleep. Is she napping well?

It wasn’t a punishment. Sheeesh.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like you need a bowl that suctions to the high chair.

signed, mom of four

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't use that as a "punishment". Certainly not for a 2yo.

But it sounds like she needs to catch up on sleep. Is she napping well?

It wasn’t a punishment. Sheeesh.

OP treated it as a punishment.

[Anonymous]

You need to learn more about toddlers and where they are developmentally. Read No Bad Kids or see what other reds you can get.

You will have a tough time with 2s and 3s if you don’t understand how to set/enforce boundaries and provide logical consequences. Constructive approach.

Punishment does not teach anything and it just escalates negative emotions generally.

[Anonymous]

(What other recs* not reds)

[Anonymous]

I've always heard "don't use bedtime as a punishment" but I've done this occasionally and I frame it as "your behavior is showing me you are too tired to participate"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like she was overtired and the food throwing was her acting out. Think of the early bedtime as problem solving rather than punishment.

+2

Maybe you need to move up dinner time to an earlier time. Might be more effective than scolding, taking away plate, and otherwise pre-emptively avoiding her throwing food.