Do parents ever actually follow through with threats of no Christmas presents for naughty kids?

A 3 yr old is not capable of connecting misbehavior today with punishment on thursday morning. That's just not going to work. Punishment is only effective if the child understands why they are being punished and how to correct their misbehavior. So punishing 2 days later is not going to work for a 3 yr old.

The best way to handle that situation is to put the child in time out for 3 to 5 minutes and then explain to them that doing that is a no-no. Unless this is not a first offense. If the child routinely puts things in the toilet and is getting in trouble for this over and over again I would give the kid a few swats on the bottom.

Even better is prevention. I have 2 yr old twins and they aren't allowed in the bathroom without a parent to supervise. I am pretty sure I wouldn't let a 3 yr old in the bathroom unsupervised either.

I think the children that are still believing in Santa have a hard time equating misbehavior in July or even early December, with a punishment that occurs weeks or months or even only days after the fact. The child may not even remember the offence at that point. I think it is far more effective to punish immediately after the fact and leave Christmas for the joy of the holiday and being together opening gifts as a family.

Where is the original question? Just tell her not to call a plumber. Most TV remotes would never be able to make it through the toilet trap so they just need to stick their hand in and pull it out. If it somehow did managed to make it through the trap I wouldn't worry about it. You can buy a universal remote for under $10!

I think that's stupid and cruel.

You have to consider the reasoning capacity possessed by a three year old.

I don't think my three year old would be able to grasp the full repercussions of his actions and therefore I would just be traumatizing him and ruining the holiday for everyone by pulling stunt like that...and I'd still be out one remote control and then have a hysterical toddler on my hands to boot.

To top that all off...when we're talking about three year olds here...if they are being left unattended long enough to flush remotes down toilets....I think the blame doesn't solely lie on the child.

I may minimize christmas out of financial necessity....but to lay that kind of story on a kid...AND return everything?? No...that sounds more like "spite" than "teaching".

It would be a horrible parent that takes away a holiday from a child. Although I tell mine all the time "there goes your birthday" or "no car at 16" I am only kidding, and he is too little to know what I am talking about anyway.

I really don't think so. I was wondering the same thing today because my daughter was being kinda naughty. I hope that by the time you become a mother though you change your mind though.

I don't think that that's a very good idea.