I just Don't Get It

[keeked]

Hi! I'm new to these boards and the subject of this thread is one I had much experience with...

I used to allow toys but after too much trouble with losing, breaking, etc, I said only books and videos. One day a boy brought a big animal book and he kept asking me "When's Michael coming?" Michael was a year younger and loved animals, so I thought that he was excited to share with him.

When Michael shows up the first thing that Boy says to him is "I brought a book and you can't look at it."

I was dumbfounded. After that day I made the Nothing rule, I realized that stuff meant power to some kids, unfortunately some kids are just mean at times and I wasn't going to put up with it. Of course they don't need stuff to do this... right now the favorite phrase of 3 year olds is "you can't come to my birthday party" even if their birthday isn't for months.

[melissa ann]

I do not allow any toys from home. The other day 4yr old dcb had 2 matchbox cars. I said, keep them in your coat pocket. This family has been with me for 2 yrs. Ugh! I said that we have plenty of matchbox cars here and that we don't want to get yours confused with the other ones.

[tenderhearts]

I have no problem with them bringing one or 2 matchbox cars or the like, if we have an issue with sharing then the toys go into their cubbies for the rest of the day, but that hasn't happened in a long time. All my parents know that if the toy gets broken or lost then that's the childs problem, but usually before nap I have the child put whatever the item is into their cubby and they do really well keeping track of it, I don't think anyone has lost anything here. It's just big stuff, a whole dollhouse and all the pieces, geez what are they thinking??? so as for now I'm fine with the small stuff.

[kiddieshack]

I had a child in the time out chair when her parent came in to pick her up. Of course when she sees her Dad, she started crying harder. The dad knew his little "angel" was in time out but instead of asking me what happened and then reinforcing my rules, he went over to her and picked her up and started consoling her as though i was some mean prison warden. Oh that frustrates me. I have also had children bring toys from home and I have a no toy policy. The parents always state the same thing..she/he wouldn't give it to me in the car. I always do the same thing...I promptly ask the child for the toy, they promptly give it to me, and i promptly had it over to the parent. When My children were young and they started to get a little bossy with me, I would ask them to pull out their "MOM" card. They would check their pockets every time and say "I don't have a MOM card!" I would then pull out my invisible "MOM" card out of my pocket (only mommies can see the "MOM" card) and I would tell my kids that I have the card and that makes me the boss. It worked every time. Soon after all I had to do was pat my pockets like i was looking for something and my kids got the idea that they weren't going to win the argument.

[kitkat]

When My children were young and they started to get a little bossy with me, I would ask them to pull out their "MOM" card. They would check their pockets every time and say "I don't have a MOM card!" I would then pull out my invisible "MOM" card out of my pocket (only mommies can see the "MOM" card) and I would tell my kids that I have the card and that makes me the boss. It worked every time. Soon after all I had to do was pat my pockets like i was looking for something and my kids got the idea that they weren't going to win the argument.

That is so funny! I might have to try that with my son!