An idea for those with some sassy talkers...

Nessia

I was talking to my cousin this weekend who has three girls. She has an 8, 6, and 4 year old girls. We got to talking about the attitude and back talk we have from the kids. She said she has started using "sassy spray." I guess it's a version of washing your mouth out with soap. She has a spray bottle filled with apple-cider vinegar and it's called sassy spray. Any times her girls talk back or have an attitude they get a spray of sassy spray. She says it has pretty much eliminated the issue. Just an idea for you guys that are dealing with this.

Taytee

I won't say I'd never do that because there's a lot of "I nevers" that I've done. However, I feel pretty confident this would NOT be a route I would take to address any kind of behavioral issue. It seems cruel and disrespectful. Even if it's stopped them from doing it, I think the motivation is just all kinds of wrong. Where the hell does someone even get the idea to do such a thing?

MC+KK

Nessia:

I was talking to my cousin this weekend who has three girls. She has an 8, 6, and 4 year old girls. We got to talking about the attitude and back talk we have from the kids. She said she has started using "sassy spray." I guess it's a version of washing your mouth out with soap. She has a spray bottle filled with apple-cider vinegar and it's called sassy spray. Any times her girls talk back or have an attitude they get a spray of sassy spray. She says it has pretty much eliminated the issue. Just an idea for you guys that are dealing with this.

Really? She really does this? I'm sure there are alot of hormones in her house flying around but that seems extreme to me. Poor girls

Nessia

I guess we can agree to disagree. I just don't see it as cruel. When a kid is rolling her eyes at you or talking back to you disrespectfully sometimes you have to get creative. Growing up I would just get slapped and rightfully so if I was disrespecting my mom. If punishment like going to your room or being grounded from something isn't getting the job done you have to come up with something else. The spray does not hurt them, it just taste bad in their mouth and it's their actions that cause the spray to be used. If after being warned and explained the consequences of continuing bad behavior they continue the bad behavior then they have "earned" the consequence.

 

ETA: This is used more for the oldest daughter. When they're 8 going on 17 they are testing the boundaries. At 4 the little one doesn't get the spray because she hasn't exhibited the sassiness the older one has gotten.

carlinlp

We drink acv diluted for the health benefits. I'd never want my kids to associate it with a punishment. Believe me, there are days I'd like to pull my hair out and run screaming from the building with a teen in the house, the backtalk drives me crazy. I also think that punishing and grounding are more about consistency rather than an immediate fix.

bluestreet

I don't know what I think about this solution, but it raises interesting questions. On the one hand, it's using physical punishment to produce results, which many of our generation have ruled out as a matter of course. On the other hand, apple cider vinegar isn't poison or painful, it just tastes gross.

I use time outs and taking toys or privileges away, but sometimes I think our generation is too wimpy about punishing kids. Not to sound like an old fart, but American kids really are out of control and seem to rule their parents. Parents seem to think their kids need to agree with and like their punishments, but kids aren't just little adults.

I'm rambling, and I don't have a final opinion on sassy spray, but I don't think it's necessarily abusive or the worst thing.

Ricola

Sounds like using sour apple spray for dogs (to teach them not to pee inside the house) to me, just for kids. I don't think I would use it on my children.

 

MrsAJL

This isn't a new idea. Parents have been doing some  version of this for a long time.  That being said, I have a sassy 3.5 year old, but I would never use this on him, regardless of his age. I think it's inappropriate.