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MamaBeth
04-03-2005, 10:55 AM
OK., Crystal asked me to put forth some specific situations we want to deal with. Let's start with one that is really bothering me right now, because it's making more of a mess for me to clean up, and encourages our ant problem in the house. Now, we can't really help the ants. We live in a very old apartment building, and these ants have huge nests within the walls. The military won't do anything about it.

We put up gates in the doorways to the kitchen (there are two). We moved the kids' TV out of the kitchen into the playroom. The kids just knock the gates down, or climb over them, to take food and they get it all over the house or otherwise are making messes in the kitchen like pulling out the Tupperware.

We don't want the kids in the kitchen other than meals or supervised play at the table (Playdough, paint, etc). How can I help them to not jump over or knock down the gates and respect that we don't want food anywhere but in the kitchen? If they are hungry, we will happily get them something to eat and let them eat it at the table. They don't stay there. Problem is partly us, and we're working on that. We should stay in the kitchen with them, right? Well, sometimes that seems impossible. I'm needing to do something with another child, or vacuum the living room or some other chore, etc.

SO I'm about at a loss. We thought the gates would solve the problem, but it's become a problem in itself.

ArmsOfLove
04-03-2005, 11:10 AM
You are going to need to supervise moore it is just a matter of what level you do it at. You can catch them at the gates and remove them or watch them at the table. It usually takes a limited amount of time of reinforcing the boundary in a kind and firm way before they stop testing it. I might take a day or two of hanging out in the area of the gates in the doorway. If a child starts to climb or remove it stop them and say, "This gate is to keep you out of the kitchen. What do you need?" Have them ask you with their words and practice asking you to get it for them. Let them know when they ask you will help them. As they get more consistent with remembering to ask before going through the gate you move away for longer times. It might be inconvenient, but it will be worth it. And you'll be amazed what you can bring to that area to work on :)