Hello!

Just wondering if anyone else is having or had the same problem as me. When my son gets angry or annoyed he will spit and sometimes even come up to you and blow raspberries in your face he’s been doing this for about 6 months now he has just turned 4. Its driving me and my hubby crazy, the more we say don’t do it he does it more and then we just started to ignoring it which worked for a couple of weeks but he’s now doing it again. Anyone got any answers or experience that could help us out?


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  • My suggestion would have been to ignore it. I’ve been told ignoring bad behaviour and rewarding good behaviour is the way to go


  • I feel your pain, master 4 does this. Just be consistent in telling him off for it. Age appropriate time out, favourite toy removed for an hour/the whole day. Goodluck


  • Time out. Absolutely time out.
    Explain simply, we do not spit or blow raspberries in this house, no one wants to be with you when you act this way. And put him in a spot facing a wall with nothing to play with or look at and tell him he must sit there quietly for 4mins (1min per year) to think about his bad behavior. Everytime he moves put him back and tell him the time starts again. Same if he starts talking. Be stern and consistent.
    Once the time is up go to him ask him why he had a time out and why it was wrong of him to do that, if he will stop/not do it again. give him a hug punishments over try to do something fun.


  • My youngest did the raspberries thing for a little while after someone taught her, in a “fun” way. Spitting though, no way. I wouldn’t tolerate that. But I haven’t had to. Very sorry you’re dealing with it. Maybe make him have to clean it up every time he does it. He might get sick of having to do that, and therefore stop spitting. I wouldn’t worry about the raspberries thing too much.


  • Im not but we teach this when they are young and laugh about it. When they are older its a crime. Just ignore


  • Four year olds are such wonderful little creatures, they are sponges soaking up information and bad behaviour. My grandson 3 does the same whilst irritating consistency is the key. Just keep saying ‘that is not nice’ and ignore the behaviour eventually they get the message that that type of behavior will give them no attention.


  • When we faced this we used to put master 3 in timeout and say when you are willing to behave come and see us taking no notice off the action


  • i think its probably a faze and to ignore it because he’s probably wanting a reaction


  • I would just ignore it when he does it


  • We put our 3 yr old (at the time) in a quiet place to calm down – sometimes that was her room or other times the hallway. As soon as we gave in once and didn’t move her she would keep pushing the boundaries. we always checked on the person affected first so she didn’t get attention from doing it immediately. Then calmly tell her it isn’t acceptable and move her.


  • my 2 yr old is doing the same thing i hope she out grows it soon


  • Yes I have the same problem wit my 8 yr old, unfortunately not sure what to do about it but sometimes it helps just to know you are not alone :)


  • My son is only 2, but when he does things i dont like i just tell him NO, thats mean! and walk away. It works for him . . . . So far. Good Luck.


  • I think you are going to have to be consistent and persistent. may have to try a new method i.e. time out if ignoring is not working.


  • its so frustrating isnt it ? my two year old does it and although its a slow progress we just keep on telling her off when she does it and if she doesnt listen and keeps doing it we take away something she loves until she apologises and understands that its dirty :/


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