So I need some advice on keeping my 5yr old busy. Hes grounded. Im sick with hypermesis gravadium and dizzy as all get out. No electronics, no cartoons. He spat in a little girls face at school and got kicked out for the day. Id have him fold the huge pile of laundry but he doesnt know how. any ideas?
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Wiping counter, wiping out the fridge, cleaning the bathtub, vacuuming, cleaning his room. He is at the age that he can do all of this.
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Stare at a wall. All day
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Give a dust rag, dust everything, vacuum, pick up toys, take out trash, do you have pets ? clean up yard, brush , feed and water. Need any weeding or yard clean up ? Even if he can only do some of it , just keep him moving. Take this downstairs, take this upstairs …
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Sort the clean laundry (his yours, dad’s etc). It doesn’t need to be perfect for him to get the point. Make him clean his room.
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Scrub the walls and baseboard. Shitty job but hard to mess up
Have him write apology letter to the little girl with your help of course. Pick up toys, clothes, clean his room, sweep the floor, dust
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Clean the house vacuum, sweep dust
fill a bin with toys and books that he can donate to children that don’t have toys. teach him to care about others and that not everyone has all that he has. he can take an afternoon nap. have him do some dishes, even if they’re clean have him wash them all again. like the plastic tupperware so nothing gets broken and he doesn’t get hurt.
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He spat on someone, was it the first time? Sounds like you need to be a parent, not his friend.
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Teach him how , or my sister used to get her kids to roll the laundry andnits exactly like it sounds … Roll laundry. It was a form of punishment for them to do the bigger chores
Why did he spit on the littles girl face? He obviously had some big feeling going on but did not know how to appropriately address the issue. I’d be sitting down and talking with him about what was going on and better behavior for the situation when he feels like he needs to express his frustration. I don’t believe children just do this type of behavior to be mean without having an underlying problem. After talking with him discuss that bad behavior must be followed by a consequence and what does he feel is suitable - help him choose a punishment that fits. Making a card for the little girl to apologize for spitting should be on the list.
Hope you feel better, this parenting gig doesn’t stop for sick days and definitely sucks at times. 
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Get boxes and label them with pictures of what goes in each and have him organize his toys.
Or organize anything really!
Give him a pack of wipes and have him clean , plus have him write or draw a story of what he did and what he could have done better .
Dusting, load the washing machine, clean his room. I think more important than punishing him though is teaching him how to act after he has done wrong. Have him write her a letter of apology or draw her a picture something something that makes him take responsibility for his actions xx
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Give him wipes to scrub all the baseboards.
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Corner of a room for a bit. Got pets have him teach them a new trick
Organize his snack place wherever that is in your home. Wipe table off. Organize his toy box/room. Write apology to girl.
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Sit down with him and talk about what happened…why did he spit on her…listen to him and explain that that behavior is not acceptable…and show him how to fold the clothes…he is 5 !! He didn’t come here knowing how…praise him, no matter what the laundry looks like…Let him know that he is helping you !!
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Show him how to fold laundry if he doesn’t know how
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Sometimes when ya have to punish your kid , you end up punishing yourself too! So you have to pick your punishments wisely !!! Cleaning and teaching responsibilities are great age appropriate lessons!!! Good luck mama !!!
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My daughter is 5 and loves to fold laundry once i showed her how to do it. Show him and see how he does. He might surprise you.
Legos. Science experiments or help with cooking. Fill a bottle with water and have him “clean” the tub.
Just punishing him won’t help, you need to find out why he did that, why he chose that to do?
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When my kids are grounded only thing they get is extra choirs books or coloring books to stay busy
Give him the laundry basket and see what he does even if the stuff isnt perfect atleast hes learning also other chores that cant get done because you are feeling sick.
I had Hg and believe me I had my older kids doing stuff
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Give him books to read or color.
Idk about your child but my children have WAY too many toys that need to be gone through, donated and some tossed to the trash. Maybe have him do that. My 3 year old loves to sweep, and dust furniture off, pick up trash that may be outside…
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Doesn’t matter if he knows how or not. Now’s the time to teach him. You show him while you do it together
My son got suspended in year 2, I had him pulling weeds.
Have him write ( even if it’s just scribble ) I will never spit or even an apology to the little girl.
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She’s isn’t able to get up, so helping him isn’t really an option. Honestly I get that you want to teach him a lesson but you might want to talk about it a bunch and then let him do something that will occupy him since your feeling so bad
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If he’s grounded no TV or electronics. You want to keep him busy but to me all the suggestions sounds more like more punishment not keeping busy. He’s only 5 I think personally he’s been punished enough . Talk to him and ask why he did it. Then I’d have him apologize to her. But keeping busy I’d just let him color and do some reading if he can. Let him do some learning things . That’s just my opinion.
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Chores won’t change behavior. Why was he spitting? Angry, to get her to notice him, what? Then an apology to her, parents and teacher with a promise to never do it again. Folding clothes is not consequence
Folding boards are amazing for small kids for folds shirts how ever I don’t believe in kids having to do chores as a punishment… this just makes cleaning negative… Trust me you want them to enjoy and want to do chores… at 5 when I’d punish my son it wouldn’t be prolonged he would forget why he was being punished. Pick something he enjoys and take it away for the day talk about why its being taken away talk about why he did what he did. Get to the route of the problem by finding out his reasoning, show him there is a consequence for his actions by taking something obvious away and when it’s returned refresh on why it was taken away and what would be a better response for him in the future at school. Discipline should teach a lesson not inflict misery.
Turning the clothes the right side round
It’s okay for kids to be bored. Just try to relax as best you can since you’re sick.
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Wash walls , write the same thing over and over again .
You rest, and have a good talk about respect with him. Then have him draw her a picture for an apology note. And pick some flowers for her before school.
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A child’s punishment should only be as many minutes as their age at that age…
Beyond that they lose the concept of the punishment and think they’re just " hanging out" in their room or doing whatever was given to them to do and after “5” minutes he’s probably lost interest in anything othet than something he likes…
At 5 they might be able to tell you why they did the action… Also remember there are 2 sides to every story…
Do you really think your child had/ has it in him to " just walk up to someone and spit in their face? Especially a pretty little girl?" Get him to sit and say that’s an awful thing that happened to …
What would make someone want to spit in her face for?
Like i said two sides …
Good luck and feel better.
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Clean bathroom floors with scrub brush, and toothbrush around the baseboards and toilet.
Practice his reading and writing coloring other chores he can do, my 6yo sweeps dusts vacuums organized his toys
Have him make a card for the girl he spat at, maybe? It would give you a chance to talk to him and find out what’s going on in his head.
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Make him look at 4 walls foe a week period
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Never heard of grounding a 5 year old Give him his things back You’ll get some rest and he will be entertained
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Punish him by helping you
Or you could try helping him as he’s obviously struggling to process his emotions with his 5 year old brain
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A five year old loses the concept of punishment quick… Some of these are extreme and messed up 
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Teach him but cleaning isnt gonna work really hes 5!! Talk to him and figure out why he did it and let him know that actions has consequences
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Garbage, vacuum, dust, sweep, straighten toys and beds. I would find out why first though. Maybe someone told him to do it or maybe the person hurt him first.
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Girl you are so much nicer then me I’m not putting up with any bs from my kids none I pay the cost to be the boss give him work books keep him busy clean his room make sure you tell him you love him
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Show your Son how to fold clothes
Lucky he didn’t get sat on his arse