Is this a fair/natural consequence?

[babyb4us]

A little background. I take care of kids in my house. Basically, an unofficial daycare, but only for school aged kids. Today, I have 7 kids from 7 to 10. All boys, all wild boys. That isn't the point.

The point is about food. I make lunch everyday. I don't want parents to make lunches because I don't want to have junk food in my house. My house, I control what comes in and out. Two of my kids (brothers) live on prepackaged junk food. So, I try and make things that are universal, and not at all "weird". I don't want anyone to starve. Today was quesadillas, sliced apples, and baby carrots. One brother ate the apples, and only part of the quesadillas. But, he didn't ask for seconds, so no biggie. He tried everything, and didn't complain. The other ate around the skin on the apples. Leaving 1/2 inch barrier so he wouldn't touch it. Then tried a carrot, and ran to the bathroom to spit it out in the trash. EWWWW!!! My garbage now looks like someone puked in it. THEN, he wanted more quesadilla. I gave it to him, but told him the spitting isn't ok. And, he has to take out the trash.

Is that fair? He made the mess, he cleans it up?

Also, they have had carrots here before. They have been in my care for 2 years...

[Kiara.I]

But he DIDN'T make a mess. He put garbage in the garbage.

I've never had a garbage that looked good, so I am not really understanding that there's a problem with how the garbage looks.

[babyb4us]

Originally Posted by Kiara.I

But he DIDN'T make a mess. He put garbage in the garbage.

I've never had a garbage that looked good, so I am not really understanding that there's a problem with how the garbage looks.

That is a good point. I guess because it was the open bathroom garbage, not the kitchen garbage that gets taken out nightly. Or he could have spit it into his napkin and thrown it away. I don't want to see food that has been in your mouth.

It is also the show of how horrible I am to have served him the carrots. It grates on my nerves. So, maybe I am unfairly punishing him because he hurt my feelings. Yep, I'm feeling like a 3 year old now...

[Kiara.I]

Originally Posted by babyb4us

It is also the show of how horrible I am to have served him the carrots. It grates on my nerves. So, maybe I am unfairly punishing him because he hurt my feelings. Yep, I'm feeling like a 3 year old now...

Yup. Being spurned or treated like meanie, always a trigger.

Okay, it's a good point that food goes in the food garbage that gets taken out nightly. So then it's reasonable that he empty the garbage, not because it looks bad but because it would leave food out for longer than typical.

[ArmsOfLove]

I think taking out the garbage should be children's work anyway If it made a mess then by all means have him clean it up. Good life lesson to learn

[babyb4us]

Then, clean it up he will.

Thank you!

[MegMarch]

Aside from trash, I think it would be a good idea to teach him what you'd like him to d when he eats something he doesn't like. Can he just say no thank you, spit into a napkin and throw it in the regular trash, etc?