Would you have done the same thing?

too harsh and it's not your place to punish him, he's not your child. He's young and why weren't the gifts kept put away? Why is it such a big deal that he opened it? If you are that upset then don't buy him anything next year but it's not your place to decide what will happen now and I think you are over reacting anyway.

I think it was a little harsh, if the presents where out where he could see them, if they where put up and he found them and opened them then I think it is a fair punishment. The reason behind this is at 3 he can not read if you gave him the present and said this is yours to open on christmas, he knew it belonged to him and at 3 you have no sense of time. If he found them he would have no idea if the gifts where his or not and he had no business of opening something that didn't belong to him. This is just my opinion, and if you think he learned a lesson that is all that really matters. If this punishment has not been given yet I think a good thing to do is re-wrap the presents put them up and have him pick out something to give to toys for tots, to learn that Christmas is about giving gifts not getting them.

I think it is a great idea to have him donate to a toy charity. However, I think you may have gone a bit overboard in punishing someone elses kid. First, keep the presents put away. But at 4 he should know better and be able to hold their excitement.

I still think it is a good lesson for him to donate to toys for tots or something similiar though, maybe have him keep one of the presents he opened and donate the other 2?

Honestly I think that is a bit harsh. Kids at that age have problems with patients and controlling impulses. Its almost christmas, they are excited, and then you put presents that he knows are for him right out in front of him. Not saying he shouldn't be punished, but i don't think so harshly. I know growing up my sister and I always got to open a present from a family member a bit early.....like a week or so i think. My son is going to get one of his presents tomorrow.

I kind of would have let that fall under the kids will be kids laws. There are times, based on their overall behavior, that you have to let the slip ups slide a bit. If he normally is well behaved and knows boundaries, it would probably have just been a good idea to take them from him and not let him have them until Xmas. He'd figure out quick enough it is more fun to have surprises. Christmas does escalate everything a bit. Plus, if it wouldn't really have an overall affect on him - that is, because he normally is good, then it was a bit harsh.

I think it was a bit extreme. At 4 they have a hard time controlling their excitement. This is why I don't put out any presents until Christmas eve.

I think a better punishment would be having to re-wrap them himself, and not getting to play with them.

ETA: Of course he knew better. They all do. It is just hard to control yourself. Like when an adult drinks. We all know damn well it's going to hurt in the morning, but that doesn't stop most. Self-control is a learned behaviour. Christmas is coming, but very slowly for small children. And having to look at wrapped gifts for two weeks, well...

first of all he should not have been given the presents so early!!! Come on he is 4 years old and you didn't expect him to get excited and open them now instead of waiting 2 more weeks!! Get real!!!!!!!!!! I would not donate the toys whether it was your or her idea because your both the idiots who put the presents right in front of him when they should have not been seen or put near the tree so early!!! Give me a break!! He is 4!!!!!!

It was harsh because he is still very young. Where were the presents anyway? I they were at his house then it is his parents responsibility to keep them hidded until xmas. If you actually gave them to him yourself then I think you only have yourself to blame. It's like giving an alchoholic a bottle of whiskey and being angry when they drink it!

You might think he knows better but he is only 4 and he doesn't. It's not fair to put that kind of temptation in the way of a small child.

Had he been older (7 upwards) then I think your action may have been more justified but still harsh.

I think that it was good lesson learned. You are right he knew what he was doing. If he didn't he would have done it out in the open where he could be caught before he got through all three. Although it may seem a bit extreme it is a good lesson if you handle it right. ie: there are many children out there that no one will be able to give presents to this year and you have so many presents that many people who love you give to you. You hurt their feelings when you opened them when they weren't around. So lets take these presents so that a little boy who really knows how much they mean will benefit from them this year.

Did you get him the presents because you wanted him to have them, or just to have something to open Christmas morning? If he opened them early, so he spoiled his own surprise and part of his fun on Christmas. That's the penalty. To me, that's a strange reason not to let him have the present in the first place.

way too harsh, at 4 he'll never even remember those presents, wrap them back up and make him WORK to earn them back (help mommy or grandmother do something good to earn them back.) "Now Billy, you have to be really extra good now if you want to be on Santa's good list and earn your presents back" At 4 he's even too young to realize what christmas is all about. As a grandparent you should love him enough to let a few things slide at 4 years of age, if you are this rough on him at 4 I feel really sorry for the kid already to have to grow up way too soon from harsh rules, maybe santa needs to take something of yours and donate it to someone.