I took away all my sons toys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your kid is 2. You need to simmer down.

I disagree. At two (24 months) my son absolutely knew he could not throw toys. OP, you stand over him and tell him that he has to pick up the toy he threw - you stay completely neutral but do not let him go on to any other thing or run away until he picks up the toy that he threw. You just keep saying, "no, you need to pick up the toy you threw first". You physically stop him from doing anything else. When he finally does it - and he will finally do it - you thank him and praise him like crazy.

Taking away all your 2 year olds toys is nuts, ineffective and bad parenting.

oh please.

Reinforce no throwing. Toys that get thrown get taken away immediately and kid gets time out. No new toys come out until last toy mess is cleaned up. Be liberal with getting rid of toys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have 2 boys (4 yo and 2 yo) and this is definitely not normal. They do get a bit "crazy" sometimes (especially before nap/sleep times or if the weather is bad and they haven't had a chance to run around outside) but I wouldn't tolerate that at all. Sometimes we don't let them play with toys but tell them to climb instead. We don't have a TV or couch set up in the house because we took over the living room to have a climbing dome.

It's your job to give each toy a home. It's your job to tell your boy that he needs to put the thing he's playing with back in the box/shelf before he can have the next thing. Each book back on the shelf before getting the next one. We started this at 1 year old. It was a lot of work, and we needed to reinforce it often (and still now) but so much better than the alternative.

And yes, it also sounds like you have too much crap laying around. We pack away toys and only have a few out for choice at any time.

Every now and then, I need to take away toys, if they aren't being played with carefully. It happens very rarely though. They've never thrown a toy at me, that's outrageous. They'd be straight to the naughty mat long before they did that.

Oh, and you should also think about the toys you have. We don't have any plastic crap. A couple of nice vehicles with many moving parts (that they're careful with), but mostly building things, puzzles, books, stuff like that. Stuff that it's obvious how to play with it. And then we show them the right way to play with stuff.

Op here: He doesn't really play with any toys. He goes around dumping or throwing his toys. I try to make him pick up the toys after he dumps them but he doesn't get it. He runs away laughing at me. He's been rearranging the furniture now that he doesn't have toys. I went to the bathroom and came back to find a heavy shelf was in the middle of the living room!

PP here. If you've shown your son how to play with toys, how to read books, how to do puzzles, etc, and he has no interest in playing with things appropriately then I'd definitely see that as a red flag. Even before 1 year old, my boys understood how those things worked (they'd sit and try to turn the pages of a book, even if it would be upside down, they'd try to put the puzzle together even though it would be wrong, etc). I would get a full health screening, including hair test for minerals, it's called the Doctors Data lab Minerals and Toxic Metals test and any doctor can order it for you and give it to you to cut a sample of your child's hair and send in to the lab for analysis. And I'd also cut out processed foods for a while and try to stick to things that are more healthy (e.g. mashed yams that you can easily make in the microwave, all natural yoghurt with no additional sugar or flavors but maybe some berries added in, etc). How is your son's speech, any delays there?

[Anonymous]

OP I totally get you. My son is almost 2 and hardly plays with his toys. Sometimes he'll get engrossed in something but usually he plays for about 30 seconds then onto something else.

We're also having issues with throwing things. Ours is related to tantrums and I just can't take away all his toys, he'll throw non toy items too! I intercepted a remote control last week and this afternoon, his sippy cup came flying into the front seat while I was driving.

I do time outs, reinforce no throwing, take things away (but he'll just find something else to throw) to no avail. I think it's the age honestly but going to keep consistent and hopefully one day it'll click. Just know you aren't alone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have 2 boys (4 yo and 2 yo) and this is definitely not normal. They do get a bit "crazy" sometimes (especially before nap/sleep times or if the weather is bad and they haven't had a chance to run around outside) but I wouldn't tolerate that at all. Sometimes we don't let them play with toys but tell them to climb instead. We don't have a TV or couch set up in the house because we took over the living room to have a climbing dome.

It's your job to give each toy a home. It's your job to tell your boy that he needs to put the thing he's playing with back in the box/shelf before he can have the next thing. Each book back on the shelf before getting the next one. We started this at 1 year old. It was a lot of work, and we needed to reinforce it often (and still now) but so much better than the alternative.

And yes, it also sounds like you have too much crap laying around. We pack away toys and only have a few out for choice at any time.

Every now and then, I need to take away toys, if they aren't being played with carefully. It happens very rarely though. They've never thrown a toy at me, that's outrageous. They'd be straight to the naughty mat long before they did that.

Oh, and you should also think about the toys you have. We don't have any plastic crap. A couple of nice vehicles with many moving parts (that they're careful with), but mostly building things, puzzles, books, stuff like that. Stuff that it's obvious how to play with it. And then we show them the right way to play with stuff.

Op here: He doesn't really play with any toys. He goes around dumping or throwing his toys. I try to make him pick up the toys after he dumps them but he doesn't get it. He runs away laughing at me. He's been rearranging the furniture now that he doesn't have toys. I went to the bathroom and came back to find a heavy shelf was in the middle of the living room!

PP here. If you've shown your son how to play with toys, how to read books, how to do puzzles, etc, and he has no interest in playing with things appropriately then I'd definitely see that as a red flag. Even before 1 year old, my boys understood how those things worked (they'd sit and try to turn the pages of a book, even if it would be upside down, they'd try to put the puzzle together even though it would be wrong, etc). I would get a full health screening, including hair test for minerals, it's called the Doctors Data lab Minerals and Toxic Metals test and any doctor can order it for you and give it to you to cut a sample of your child's hair and send in to the lab for analysis. And I'd also cut out processed foods for a while and try to stick to things that are more healthy (e.g. mashed yams that you can easily make in the microwave, all natural yoghurt with no additional sugar or flavors but maybe some berries added in, etc). How is your son's speech, any delays there?

His speech is fine and he has a play date every day because my 3 year old niece is here every afternoon. His diet is also excellent. Almost everything he eats is fresh and homemade. He's eats very little sugar or processed foods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP I totally get you. My son is almost 2 and hardly plays with his toys. Sometimes he'll get engrossed in something but usually he plays for about 30 seconds then onto something else.

We're also having issues with throwing things. Ours is related to tantrums and I just can't take away all his toys, he'll throw non toy items too! I intercepted a remote control last week and this afternoon, his sippy cup came flying into the front seat while I was driving.

I do time outs, reinforce no throwing, take things away (but he'll just find something else to throw) to no avail. I think it's the age honestly but going to keep consistent and hopefully one day it'll click. Just know you aren't alone.

He sounds exactly like my son! BTW my son was totally fine with the toys being on the balcony. He doesn't care.

[Anonymous]

If it continues I would get an evaluation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it's typical but it sounds like he has too much stuff. Try rotating toys. Get into the habit of doing cleanup when he goes from one activity to another.

This is a lot harder to do when you live in a one bedroom apartment. There often isn't enough space to store/hide the toys that are out of "rotation".

Will the toys fit in an under the bed storage box?

Op here: haha no way. I think it's better to store them in a bin on the balcony.

NP here. Fine, balcony it is for the toy rotation. The best advice you have on this thread so far. Rotate. Make cleanup a routine. Also what another PP said, get outside more.

[Anonymous]

Dumping toys is normal but throwing things at you is not. I agree you should put a lot of toys away and only keep a few of his favorites out for awhile. But as for the throwing at you, that's concerning. How do you react when he does that? In the moment? I would take whatever toy he had thrown away, get down on his level, look in his eyes while holding his hands, and very calmly but sternly say "you do not throw anything at me, ever. The only thing you throw is balls when we are outside. Throwing toys at me is not ok." Ask if he understands, have him repeat "no throwing toys" then if he does throw again, get progressively more punitive with taking away toys, privileges, giving time outs, whatever works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it's typical but it sounds like he has too much stuff. Try rotating toys. Get into the habit of doing cleanup when he goes from one activity to another.

This is a lot harder to do when you live in a one bedroom apartment. There often isn't enough space to store/hide the toys that are out of "rotation".

Will the toys fit in an under the bed storage box?

Op here: haha no way. I think it's better to store them in a bin on the balcony.

Op, grow up and get rid of most of the toys.

A 2 year old only needs a few basic toys like blocks, a couple of cars, play dough, ball, doll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should take your kid outside and burn off energy

+1. This. I know it’s cold, but buy your boy some good long underwear and a hat and run him around outside. My kids don’t throw things unless they’re going stir crazy at home.

+2
He sounds bored. What's your daily routine? Do you ever get out of the house? Are you taking the lead and engaging in play with him?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it's typical but it sounds like he has too much stuff. Try rotating toys. Get into the habit of doing cleanup when he goes from one activity to another.

This is a lot harder to do when you live in a one bedroom apartment. There often isn't enough space to store/hide the toys that are out of "rotation".

Will the toys fit in an under the bed storage box?

Op here: haha no way. I think it's better to store them in a bin on the balcony.

Op, grow up and get rid of most of the toys.

A 2 year old only needs a few basic toys like blocks, a couple of cars, play dough, ball, doll.

Op here: that's all he really has and play food for his IKEA kitchen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have 2 boys (4 yo and 2 yo) and this is definitely not normal. They do get a bit "crazy" sometimes (especially before nap/sleep times or if the weather is bad and they haven't had a chance to run around outside) but I wouldn't tolerate that at all. Sometimes we don't let them play with toys but tell them to climb instead. We don't have a TV or couch set up in the house because we took over the living room to have a climbing dome.

It's your job to give each toy a home. It's your job to tell your boy that he needs to put the thing he's playing with back in the box/shelf before he can have the next thing. Each book back on the shelf before getting the next one. We started this at 1 year old. It was a lot of work, and we needed to reinforce it often (and still now) but so much better than the alternative.

And yes, it also sounds like you have too much crap laying around. We pack away toys and only have a few out for choice at any time.

Every now and then, I need to take away toys, if they aren't being played with carefully. It happens very rarely though. They've never thrown a toy at me, that's outrageous. They'd be straight to the naughty mat long before they did that.

Oh, and you should also think about the toys you have. We don't have any plastic crap. A couple of nice vehicles with many moving parts (that they're careful with), but mostly building things, puzzles, books, stuff like that. Stuff that it's obvious how to play with it. And then we show them the right way to play with stuff.

Op here: He doesn't really play with any toys. He goes around dumping or throwing his toys. I try to make him pick up the toys after he dumps them but he doesn't get it. He runs away laughing at me. He's been rearranging the furniture now that he doesn't have toys. I went to the bathroom and came back to find a heavy shelf was in the middle of the living room!

Um -- and you see nothing wrong with this? Short light child, tall heavy shelf?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it's typical but it sounds like he has too much stuff. Try rotating toys. Get into the habit of doing cleanup when he goes from one activity to another.

This is a lot harder to do when you live in a one bedroom apartment. There often isn't enough space to store/hide the toys that are out of "rotation".

Will the toys fit in an under the bed storage box?

Op here: haha no way. I think it's better to store them in a bin on the balcony.

Op, grow up and get rid of most of the toys.

A 2 year old only needs a few basic toys like blocks, a couple of cars, play dough, ball, doll.

Op here: that's all he really has and play food for his IKEA kitchen.

So your toddler throws toys and you take all the toys away? Only one of you is acting your age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should take your kid outside and burn off energy

+1. This. I know it’s cold, but buy your boy some good long underwear and a hat and run him around outside. My kids don’t throw things unless they’re going stir crazy at home.

+2
He sounds bored. What's your daily routine? Do you ever get out of the house? Are you taking the lead and engaging in play with him?

Yes we get outside a lot and my niece is here most of the afternoon to play with him. He's not bored. It's just his play style I guess. He also throws pillows, blankets, chairs, tables. Basically EVERYTHING he gets his hands on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should take your kid outside and burn off energy

+1. This. I know it’s cold, but buy your boy some good long underwear and a hat and run him around outside. My kids don’t throw things unless they’re going stir crazy at home.

My boys at that age would throw things for fun. They were really active kids who would go stir crazy and drive me bonkers when we didn't go outside our 1100 Sq. Ft. townhouse. I would take them to a track and I would walk laps and they would run back and forth on the grass. One day we found a high school kicker who would practice kicking field goals. It worked out that my kids would chase after the footballs he kicked and race back and give them to the kicker. They would wait until he finished kicking the 3 footballs he had, then retrieve them. I asked the high school kid for his practice schedule and for a few weeks I had them chase all the footballs. Other days we would go to an open field and I would let them run around like crazy.
They just needed that physical release. Thinking back it is crazy how much and for how far they would run at 18 months to 3 years old. They were tiny but could keep going and going. It is the only thing that kept me sane. Now they play a couple of sports each season so it is easier for them to get exercise.