opinions wanted family issue

[momcat]

Ellie and Donna, I have to agree with both of you. Apparently, BIL isn't a kid person but that's okay. Kids that age get on my nerves now, I just don't have the patience for them anymore. But at 3, this kid should have some manners and know better than to stick his hands in cake frosting.

[pomtzu]

Just one more thought................Hubby missed an opportunity to steer this little boy in the right direction. When the boy saw the cake and asked if it was his birthday, hubby should have said; "no - it's for (fill in the blank), and after the cake is cut, you will get to have a piece too." Why not nurture him to become a sharing individual?? - nothing wrong with that! The longer everyone waits to introduce him to acceptable behavior, the less likely you are to have positive results.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

I'm actually surprised that people think that, by three, kids should have the whole world figured out. Developmentally, 3 year olds ARE the center of their own universe; it's a normal stage of development and they really do not have the cognitive ability not to be so egocentric. And you know what, freaking out over a stupid cake (as a grown, fully developed adult) is WAY more childish and immature than anything the child did.

Your nephew's behavior seems perfectly normal and I think it's the brother in law that has the problem. How does your sister in law feel about the issue (the one whose child is being insulted)? I would talk to her, say you don't like the behavior and ask if it bothers her, then decide what to do.

[caseysmom]

Thanks everyone I figured I would get some vastly different opinions which is good that is the real world.

Firstly my sister is not the child's mother its my sister in law pembrook you seemed like everyone but you was confused about that, and my sil his mother
is so polite she just ignores him. My in laws do lots of disciplinje correction but he is 3 and the cake issues were about a year ago. The cake sunday was for
mothers day so it wasn't anyone elses birthday cake just to clarify.

Some of the remarks I wasn't standing right there, the one about the whole world won't revolve my daughter was there for.

Also sometimes he plays with a phone app on his moms iphone, on another day he saw the twins playing with a play phone and said at least they don't
have a phone like Ryan! I guess I don't think quickly on my feet but clearly he can't stand him. The thing is he is good with kids usually he was great with
one of my nieces he just can't stand that my nephew isn't perfect I guess.

I do tend to agree with cataholic and pembrook but I also understand the others opinions on this and do appreciate them. I have tried to give my sister
in law some tips like when he has a meltdown in a store to just leave.

[caseysmom]

I also think my BIL's father was a tyrant who truly didn't let his kids be kids, sometimes people can't help it because of how they were raised. When his son was 12 the courts let him decide where to live, with my sister and bil he would have had a huge house and a lexus...he chose his mom...that tells you something.

My sister never had her own kids but she has always been good to mine so has my bil but when they were toddlers and would misbehave it would bother him too...I already told my daughter when the twins are terrible two's she will have fun with her uncle. He does seem to have extra animosity for my nephew though. My falling out with them was actually because of how mad my hubby got at my daughter during her teen years which is funny actually.

[caseysmom]

Also I did apologize to my sil once about bil...said he made remarks when my klds were small etc she said oh don't worry about it Ryan is a handful sometimes. She does talk to me often about the best ways to discipline him, he does great in preschool though I am just thinking its because he has nobody his age to play with and his father my husbands brother is too serious and doesn't play with him enough maybe my husband on the other hand adores him and plays with him all the time. Soon the twins will be great playmates for him and he is very gentle and sweet with them.

[pomtzu]

The point that this old timer was trying to make, is that children are never too young to be taught manners and respect for other people and their belongings - whether it be a cake or a toy, or whatever. The longer a child is allowed to behave inappropriately, the longer it will take to get that child to act appropriately. Of course at the age of 3 they haven't figured their world out, but that's the duty and obligation of the parents to guide the child in the right direction. No one has to be a drill sergeant to their kids, yet they need to be firm and not just look the other way and ignore the issues. Kids will push and push just to see how far they can go and what they can get away with, and it will be confusing to them when all of a sudden they get busted for something they have been doing all along, and now for some strange reason (in their mind), Mom or Dad steps up and says "no more of that behavior".
Again - just the old fashioned way that I was raised, and the way I raised my kids, and in turn, the way my kids raised their kids.

[Cataholic]

I'm actually surprised that people think that, by three, kids should have the whole world figured out. Developmentally, 3 year olds ARE the center of their own universe; it's a normal stage of development and they really do not have the cognitive ability not to be so egocentric. And you know what, freaking out over a stupid cake (as a grown, fully developed adult) is WAY more childish and immature than anything the child did.

Your nephew's behavior seems perfectly normal and I think it's the brother in law that has the problem. How does your sister in law feel about the issue (the one whose child is being insulted)? I would talk to her, say you don't like the behavior and ask if it bothers her, then decide what to do.

Nail? Meet head. You are so right. I am really surprised that people think a 3 year old....which is one year away from two...my goodness, my son didn't even TALK at two, think this toddler should have it all figured out, too. Frankly, if one expects such maturity from a three year old, shouldn't the adult know ten times better? It is all about control. Some people have to have it.

Children learn what they are taught. I know how I was raised, and it surely wasn't with such disparaging comments as the ones you have mentioned Caseysmom. The child is three.

Sometimes, I think we forget what it really was like as children, and our views become somewhat tainted. I know of many well behaved children, respectful, kind, thoughtful, etc. And, of course, I know some that aren't. Just like I know some adults that should be forever in a time out chair. LOL.

Bottom line- this man is a guest in YOUR home, and he should act it. If he wants to run roughshod in his OWN home, he can (and prolly does, all alone, too).