colin was left alone to sleep in my mom's room in which he thought it would be a good idea to take a $10 bill and cut it into tiny peices. Do you punish him or let it slide. My brother was watching him and he had no clue what was going on.

Julie - posted on 06/28/2009

If that's Colin in your picture, I would guess about 18 months old? In my opinion, Colin is far too young to understand money. Am I to understand there were scissors left in the room? Obviously, this house has not been child proofed. The punishment should not be given to Colin. I'd be punishing the adults for putting Colin in harms way. Scissors and all sharp cutting tools need to be kept out of reach. Colin is not at fault!

Melissa - posted on 06/26/2009

It really does depend on how old he is. My son, when he was only 18 months, found my wallet when he was supposed to be sleeping. I had just done my taxes and didn't have a bank account. Lets just say it wasn't a pretty sight. But he was too young to know better, he saw that I was mad, and it made him cry. but really it was just as much my fault at the time, so I made him help me clean it up. If he is older, explain about money, have him do something to "earn it back" no matter how simple it is.

Jennifer - posted on 06/26/2009

It depends on how old he is. Does he understand that it was money and how much it was worth? If he is old enough I would make him pay grandma back out of his allowance or money from gifts. That would be punishment enough. Of course, a young toddler isn't going to understand the concept of $10.00 and the fact that it has value. If that's the case I would talk to the child but let it otherwise slide. I would be more concerned that he was playing with scissors.

Brandi - posted on 06/26/2009

I personally would have been upset being that's $10-- But then again, at the same time *I* was the one that put him in there to take his nap and didn't think to check for things that he could get into, I would have to take part of the blame. Being that your brother was also in there and had "no clue" what was going on, perhaps your son picked up on the fact that his uncle, an adult to him; was in there and not saying anything, not fussing and not taking it away that it was ok.




You have to kind of put yourself in your child's position sometimes, I think to understand how they think and why they act out. My son is 2.5 and acts out like there is no tomorrow when his Daddy is underway for a few days or Deployed. Maybe the best thing to do is give him a dollar bill to hold and sit near him and see how he reacts to it, like if once again he thinks it's ok to tear. THEN being you are beside him, take it from him and tell him "no" and "bad" and show him what to do with money. Like give it back to him and let him buy a piece of candy or a sucker off of you-- Maybe then he'll realize that money is just what it is and that it's not something like construction paper.




Just an idea...???

Meghan - posted on 06/26/2009

How old? Is he old enough to know better not to? If he is old enough to my idea would be to have him help out at whoevers house the 10 dollars belonged to it "earn it back" so to speak...just to show him that money doesn't grow on tress...even a 2 year old can master a simple sorting job my daughter loves to pull weeds out in the garden and pick up trash in the yard and throw it away and shes only 22 months...and if you have the pieces of the 10.00 left or at least most of them...most banks will exchange it out for you as long as you have more than half the bill. hope this helps a little.