Help! The boys are in to EVERYTHING!

[4thekids]

If I overlook something when putting food away it will end up on their toy room floor. If I turn around to get a different ingredient one will be missing and you can bet it's on their floor. Right now ds2 has a load of shampoo in his hair because I took a five minute phone call from my sister and they got in the bathroom and poured shampoo on his head. (Can't lock the bathroom cause ds1 needs in for the potty.)
I put their toys up because they had trashed the room so they pulled all their books off the shelf and threw them around the room. They get in the fridge and get food out and make a mess. (It has a lock, ds1 can get it open.) Right now they are locked in their toy room so that I can write this without them getting in to something else. I'm really clueless as to what to do. And they aren't hungry. They just want to play with their food. They got parmesan cheese the other day and were licking it up. They had just eaten. They took their daddy's cajun trail mix and poured the WHOLE bag on the floor. I work really hard to clean the place up but they are literally right behind me DESTROYING the place. I am really at a loss, I am angry and I'm not liking being a mom right now. :blush Help! Please? Oh and they are getting lots of outdoor and physical play.

ETA: they aren't upset at being locked in the room. And I'm sitting right outside their door typing this just so everyone knows they're still good and safe. :shifty

[FebFaith]

:hug2 That sounds so hard. I feel like that here sometimes.

I would try to keep everyone together as a group. Playing together, eating, snack time, stickers on paper, story time, outside, jump on pillows time, put laundry in machine time, fold laundry time. I don't think they'll be able to stop themselves from being so creative with their play. If you are cooking, could they sit in highchairs? Or the 2 yr old in a highchair and the older one at a "table activity" (sorting small things, color, cutting with child scissors). Or movie time.

HTH,

[Karen]

Do they have messy play time? We have alot of fingerpainting, brush painting, sidewalk chalk, and then of course, playing in dirt and mud.Perhaps having an outlet for that messy need with help.

[Aerynne]

We lock all the closets and keep everything we can in them. And I only allow access to a very limited number of books and toys at a time- the rest are locked away. I rotate as necessary.

[Sundance]

Subbing, because we had one of those days, too. There are already some good ideas in this thread, thanks :)

[4thekids]

Thanks everyone.

I would try to keep everyone together as a group. Playing together, eating, snack time, stickers on paper, story time, outside, jump on pillows time, put laundry in machine time, fold laundry time. I don't think they'll be able to stop themselves from being so creative with their play. If you are cooking, could they sit in highchairs? Or the 2 yr old in a highchair and the older one at a "table activity" (sorting small things, color, cutting with child scissors). Or movie time.

HTH, I have such a hard time with this. :blush I don't know HOW to keep busy with them. I guess if I have a hard time keeping busy with them they must have an even harder time keeping themselves busy huh? :blush I really need to work on this.

Do they have messy play time? We have alot of fingerpainting, brush painting, sidewalk chalk, and then of course, playing in dirt and mud.Perhaps having an outlet for that messy need with help. That's a good idea. I'll have to try some of those ideas. :yes

We lock all the closets and keep everything we can in them. And I only allow access to a very limited number of books and toys at a time- the rest are locked away. I rotate as necessary. I do lock their toys but DS2 has been able to open it a couple of times. And so often it is just stuff that I don't get put away quick enough. Salt, Parmesan cheese, etc. They have about 12 books out at a time so that they have a bit of selection but it still gets out of control when they are everywhere. Ugh.

[Miss O's Mama]

I'm having a hard time with this w/my almost 3 yo dd. It goes in phases, but I feel like I need to keep about 10 steps ahead of her at all times and it is exhausting. I am fairly well organized (to the point it annoys my dh), lock what I can and try to give her plenty of things to keep her occupied...and you'd think that would work but some days :no. I put one thing away, she gets 10 things out. I try to do a project with her and I MUST be extremely organized or she takes advantage of it if I have to look for a supply or leave for just one second to get something. I can't keep her out of our pantry, so I know about the food thing. We have lots of open shelving and limited storage space. She has always used toys and toy containers as step stools to get whatever she can't normally reach. She is just extremely active and curious, and she makes lots of messes. I can't say that her sole intent is to make a mess-she is just very independent and tries to do things on her own- but it usually results in a mess. That is probably a good, normal thing for her but it wears me out! Sorry this isn't a lot of help, but sending :hug2. I know how you feel!

[mokamoto]

:hugs This is such a hard age. I would highly suggest putting only things in their reach that you are ok cleaning up at the end of the day. It sounds annoying, but put a combo lock or lock and key if necessary to keep your sanity. As far as food, season in the kitchen and put things away immediately. Find a refrigerator lock that works for you, if food is a problem. It'll get better in time, with consistent boundaries repeated, I promise! :heart

[runningmama]

I have two boys too, 4 and 18 months. Somedays we have days like you described. It can be so exhausting and frustrating sometimes!:jawdrop I'm still learning what to do, my 4 year old seems to be even more messy and experimenting in the last month.

Sometimes my 4 year old, who is much more of the mess maker/into everything one, does better if I give him something constructive to do before I get started on my stuff, ie cooking supper, he will do better. He does finger 'painting' with flour on a cookie sheet, brush paints, bubbles, mixing up his own 'dough' with water and flour, playdough, writing letters (led by him).

[Brittany]

I second the providing opportunities for messy fun. You could even make it a special lunch or dinner! Have them make their own pizzas (mash out the dough and everything). There are also lots of recipes for edible playdough that could be fun snacks.

I would also say things like when you (the boys) have cleaned up this mess, then we can go to the park (or something else fun). Motivate them to clean and help them to understand that making a mess means delaying everyone's fun.