So, how would you punish this behavior?

Yodajo

DS1 has been into biting things lately.  He just chewed on one of our pool noodles last week like it was corn on the cob and just now, he called me up to his room where he is supposed to be napping to show me that "there was something wrong" with his blinds in his room.  Well, yes, dear, you just chewed them and they are bent with your mouth imprint all over them. 

So, I am thinking that I should tell him that we are going to have to buy him a new shade and he is going to have to pay us back.  But how?  Chores?  I think he would like that.  Take a toy away as payment?  That probably wouldn't bother him unless it was one of the few toys he loves and the thought of doing that makes me sad.  So, what would you do?  I just said we would have to talk about what to do when he gets up from his nap and left him in there. 

4Speedy

He just chewed on one of our pool noodles last week like it was corn on the cob

 I have no answer because it took me 5 minutes to read this correctly.  Every time I looked at it, it came out "He chewed on one of our POODLES last week..."  I still can't stop laughing.

Yodajo

4Speedy:

He just chewed on one of our pool noodles last week like it was corn on the cob

 I have no answer because it took me 5 minutes to read this correctly.  Every time I looked at it, it came out "He chewed on one of our POODLES last week..."  I still can't stop laughing.

You know, if we had a poodle, I wouldn't be surprised if I did catch him chewing it with the way he's acting lately. 

And thanks, now I am laughing a bit too.

laughteriskey

When Joey went through a biting phase (it was his classmates he was biting, unfortunately), I got the book "Teeth Are Not For Biting" (https://www.discountbooksale.com/store/productView.aspx?idProduct=78367&ec=1&ProdId=112&AWTrck=1038713935&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=teeth%20are%20not%20for%20biting&utm_campaign=acc001-0010&b=GGL_DBS_112_acc001_0010_78367_00_*GeoUSCA*__teeth%20are%20not%20for%20biting )

We read that a couple of times and just talked about how we should not bite people (objects) and he stopped doing it.  That might have just been coincidence/luck though! 

Dcubed

Take away the fav toy for a day and everytime he bites/chews something take the toy away for a day longer??

DandelionMom

I don't know if I would punish for this.  Sounds like you had a talk with him.  I think having him help replace/fix the blinds would be a good idea (even if he likes the chores, it is still a good lesson). 

I wonder if you could find something that would be okay to chew? No idea what would work though.  He's probably too young for gum. 

bebemama

I would get him a special chew toy and tell him if he feels like he needs to chew he can chew on that.  I would get some chewy foods- sundried fruit and things like that.  I wouldn't punish him. He is likely having the urge to chew for some reason but doesn't have a proper outlet.  I would explain that his blinds are broken now and you are upset and will have to replace them, but that is all. 

There are special chew toys for toddlers and older kids or you could probably buy a small dog toy or something.   

Yodajo

DandelionMom:

I don't know if I would punish for this.  Sounds like you had a talk with him.  I think having him help replace/fix the blinds would be a good idea (even if he likes the chores, it is still a good lesson). 

I wonder if you could find something that would be okay to chew? No idea what would work though.  He's probably too young for gum. 

While I don't like things being destroyed, I am having a hard time I think because I really believe he's doing it impulsively, not really a conscious or premeditated thing. 

I think maybe I'll just make him be the one to show his dad what he did and then help fix it.  That will probably make a big enough impression on him. 

I have to admit, a chew toy sounds ridiculous, but it may help him realize that only specific things are for chewing and that other things are off limits.

Thanks!

susanmosley

https://www.chewytubes.com/chewytubes/index.htm

I don't think it is a bad "behavior" - I think it is a sensory thing.

 

bebemama

Just try it and see if it eliminates the problem. It can't hurt. 

Yodajo

PMQ:

susanmosley:

https://www.chewytubes.com/chewytubes/index.htm

I don't think it is a bad "behavior" - I think it is a sensory thing.

 

This. Maybe a stuffed toy if he likes to chew fabric? I know many "typical" kids like to chew for sensory reasons, it really doesn't sound like a punishable behaviour at 4 y/o. If you described it like he looked right at you, barked like a dog and then proceeded to chew on something while you're telling him no and he's maintaining eye contact? I dunno, that may be "bad behaviour", but it doesn't sound like that's what your DS is doing.

No, he's not doing it like that.  The pool thing was probably because he was excited because he had friends over.  I don't understand how the blind thing happened, but I considered a punishment becasue we talked about chewing after the pool noodle thing.

And the last time he chewed something?  Well over a year ago, when he took a huge chunk out of the bar that sits in front of him on my one day old P&T!  That was foam too.

brightning

What about one of those mesh teething bags? I used to put frozen peaches and other frozen foods in there for DD when she was a baby.

And I wouldn't punish him beyond having him help install new blinds. It really seems like he's seeking some sensory satisfaction with the chewing.

susanmosley

Yodajo:

PMQ:

susanmosley:

https://www.chewytubes.com/chewytubes/index.htm

I don't think it is a bad "behavior" - I think it is a sensory thing.

 

This. Maybe a stuffed toy if he likes to chew fabric? I know many "typical" kids like to chew for sensory reasons, it really doesn't sound like a punishable behaviour at 4 y/o. If you described it like he looked right at you, barked like a dog and then proceeded to chew on something while you're telling him no and he's maintaining eye contact? I dunno, that may be "bad behaviour", but it doesn't sound like that's what your DS is doing.

The pool thing was probably because he was excited because he had friends over.  

you don't think it was a calming/soothing mechanism in response to his excitement?

why do you think he chewed the blinds? to get a reaction? to see what would happen? or because he had some sort of impulse that he couldn't/didn't control? 

Yodajo

susanmosley:

Yodajo:

PMQ:

susanmosley:

https://www.chewytubes.com/chewytubes/index.htm

I don't think it is a bad "behavior" - I think it is a sensory thing.

 

This. Maybe a stuffed toy if he likes to chew fabric? I know many "typical" kids like to chew for sensory reasons, it really doesn't sound like a punishable behaviour at 4 y/o. If you described it like he looked right at you, barked like a dog and then proceeded to chew on something while you're telling him no and he's maintaining eye contact? I dunno, that may be "bad behaviour", but it doesn't sound like that's what your DS is doing.

The pool thing was probably because he was excited because he had friends over.  

you don't think it was a calming/soothing mechanism in response to his excitement?

why do you think he chewed the blinds? to get a reaction? to see what would happen? or because he had some sort of impulse that he couldn't/didn't control? 

No, I *think* it was an outlet for his excess energy at the time.  If it was my 1.5 y.o. maybe I would think that, but he's 3.5. 

As far as the blinds, it was probably to see what happened and then he liked seeing the imprint on his mouth so he kept going.   Then he realized he did some permanent damage, so he stopped and called me up to fix it.  Who knows though!

femmegem

susanmosley:

https://www.chewytubes.com/chewytubes/index.htm

I don't think it is a bad "behavior" - I think it is a sensory thing.

 

Ditto. They also make chewelry (jewelry made to be chewed on).

femmegem

Oh, and google Therapro. The have an online catalogue with all kinds of oral sensory therapeutic stuff.