3 Year Old Throwing Things

You got some great responsesand I don't want to repeat anything, you are not a bad mommy to discipline! Discipline is a GOOD thing. I have an "all boy" as well who is 29 months old. I agree no more cup in the car, that sounds terribly dangerous. One thing that has always worked for me is teaching them to set the cup on a table when they were done or as others suggested only getting the cup at meal times/ or in the kitchen. If he is throwing other things as well, the toy that gets thrown in my house gets a time out as well, only toys are gone all day or longer once thrown.
Good luck, thankfully these are the kinds of things they do eventually outgrow, but remain consistant!
Good luck
B.

a couple of thoughts: first of all, you're not a mean mom-kudos to you for disciplining your child!
2nd: why not just limit that cup to mealtimes & a few drinks in between? That's how it's done at daycares, & it works. I have my own inhome daycare & have worked at a very busy facility....& quite simply, children are not allowed to walk around with cups!
3rd: by age 3, he should be quite adept at drinking from a regular cup. So take the lid off, & as said before, limit drinks to in the kitchen/mealtimes....& all worries are gone.
4th: eliminate the whole commute issues by giving a drink before & after...not during the ride. Safety first...not only from him throwing the cup, but also what if he choked if you had to hit the brakes suddenly? It can happen.

I truly hope these words are not upsetting & I wish you Peace!

I like to try and let the punishment fit the crime. If he throws the cup, he does not get any juice or milk, only water and only in 5 ounce paper cups. Make him stand at the sink and get a drink. Then the cup gets thrown out. Also, I would not let him have his cup back in the car. It's just not necessary for children to get the idea that they must carry drinks everywhere they go. I know you prefer the peace and quiet in the car. But it's not quiet when they are throwing it and it's not clean when they figure out they can swing it around getting dots of milk or juice all over the car. He's plenty old enough for you to explain to him why he is only getting his water at the sink and to tell him how long he will be grounded from the cup each time he does this.

All 3 of my boys used to throw things and they will still throw things every now and then. If it gets thrown it gets taken away for a 5 minute time out. If they throw it again after the time out it gets taken away for an hour. If it gets thrown again it gets taken away until the next day. They don't throw stuff very often anymore. Hope this helps. Hang in there. Its a phase.

K., After being beaned in the head with an apple while driving down the road I said "enough". My son was not given anything when in his car seat for several trips. I then gave him a sippy cup and told him if he was done with it to tell me and HAND it to me or he would go without again. He did try me a couple times, but it did work.

Good Luck, M.

I would start by telling him he lost his drinking-in-the-car privileges. Then, any time he throws the cup, take it away. Also, he's probably old enough for a big-boy cup now. Good luck.

Hi! I have a mischievous two year old who does similar things so I can relate! One thing that works well for me is that if he throws, you immediately take the juice cup away and tell him sadly that he can't have it if he throws...it's not safe. Then, he can have drinks from it when supervised by you, at sit down meal or snack times, but not generally throughout the day and never in the car. We had to say (dramatically seriously) "Oh, it is so dangerous if you throw something in the car. We might get hurt, so I can't let you have the cup in the car until you are big enough not to throw." Not angry or loudly, just very matter of fact. Any time he throws, he loses the cup. He can "earn" it back over time by having it and not throwing it. I had to be very consistent, but it worked very well.

What if, in the short term, you only gave him his sippy cup if he is sitting at the table? It seemed like forever that I let my kids take a cup in the car, and I wondered when they would grow out of it. Maybe that time has come - no more sippy cup in the car? Or, in the house, only let him have the cup in the kitchen, at the table, while sitting down. It will be an adjustment for him. My now 5 year old threw things too. I was always afraid he'd do it at a restaurant or other unwelcome place.

Get down to his level and explain he cannot have the sippy cup to hold, he can only have it when he needs a drink because he can hurt someone and thats not okay. I would stay firm and not let him have it in the car.
They know they are getting attention when they do it and will continue. I would be direct and not talk about to anyone in front of him.

I don't have any brilliant ideas for you and in fact am taking the advice you get - but I just wanted to let you know I feel your pain (literally - ouch) - my 2.5 year old little guy is a thrower too!

My daughter eventually grew out of if and hopefully the little guy will as well.

Good luck!
Robin