When do they learn what no means?

shelbydd

Maybe a silly question but LO has been crawling and pulling up for sometime now which means he's constantly going for things he shouldn't be. My livingroom is as baby proofed as it's going to get without just removing furniture which (in my opinion) is too much. We have a big space and he has lots of toys to play with but even in the space I've set up for him he'd still rather go pull up on the entertainment center and bang his hand on the tv. I've spent weeks trying to teach him "no," I redirect him to toys or whatever, I remove his hand and say no, nothing seems to be working. If I try to deter him from it he pauses, waits a moment, then goes right back to it. The tv is just an example but it's like that with every thing. I feel like I spend my entire day keeping him out of/away from everything. I even feel a bit guilty for not having a space that he can roam 100% freely in and get into whatever. I know he's growing, he's curious, and it's good for him to explore- but when do they begin to understand and respond to "no" or redirection starts to work?

KissMeImScottish

Probably not what you want to hear, but all I can say is just stick with it. Like most things with these little guys, it seems to click overnight.

My kiddo definitely knows what no means. Terrible as it sounds, it's really hard not to laugh at how he reacts when I say it to him. He'll go after something he shouldn't (TV, the dog, electrical cords that I can't physically put completely out of reach, etc) and I'll look at him and say, "Will, no!" or "No sir!" and he'll stop, look back at me, stick his lower lip out, and then put his head down on his arms and fake cry for 15 seconds before turning around and finding something else to do (before getting into something else he shouldn't have all of 47 seconds later). He definitely knows what I'm saying to him and he does NOT like it!  It's actually pretty hilarious, haha.

All I can tell you is that it WILL click. I know it's exhausting, trying to keep with him!

chelseajeanene

Noahs starring to understand no, just keep saying it 

vibarra27

@ktewart that sounds so cute lol.

&just like these mommas say. Just keep doing it.

 I redirect the boys. I tell them, "we dont play with that son." & move them. Then they stare @ me, play with something else for a few & wait until i look away to go back to where i moved them from. Yup.
Something they do stop after i tell them is hitting eachother. For the past week or so theyve been hitting each other to take toys away. I stop them from hitting & i say, "thats not nice, we do not hit. Stay away." then i scoot them away & they last a whole 20 minutes before fighting again! Yeah i call that progress lol.

Good luck momma, just keep @ it!

CEW225

I think mine is starting to understand it.  I'll tell her no, she will stop, look me in the eye, and then try to do whatever it was I told her not to do.  Sometimes she also pouts or will "yell" when I tell her no and try to pull her away from whatever she didn't need to be doing.  I don't know where she got that from 

ForeverEverAfter

My LO has learned 'no'. Just this morning she was headed for the dog dish (for the millionth time), I said 'no' very sternly. And she stopped, sat up and stared at me. When I didn't pick her up or give redirection, she started going towards it again, I said no again-she stopped, looked at me. I said "let's play with the cars instead" and handed her done toys, and she went and played. It just clicks eventually, like pps have said.

An additional note, and you've likely done it already-if you don't plan to wall mount your tv, make sure it is secured with anti-tip brackets. We chose to make our furniture LO safe, because I also have a home daycare, and while it's not our main area, I didn't want to constantly worry about what the kids could reach (like if Im in the bathroom or changing a bum). This is our tv. The Elmo couch blocks access to the power bar cord (though there is a safety cover on the outlet). The ps4 and Apple TV are tucked under the tv slightly to be far enough from the edge a 14mo can't reach. Open shelves have toys. Closed shelves are for display, and they have child proof latches on the inside. I have a corner guard on one side because it's near a door that kids often run through. There's a chair off to the left that directs traffic away from the other corner. 

rachellegiacco

I think my lo just ignores me haha because she will nod her head yes in response but continue doing what she is doing. I feel your pain, my biggest thing is she tries to stand up in her high chair.

tlc11934

At DD's school the teachers say "no thank you" when kids do something she shouldn't.  It sounds much nicer to me than no.  I'm going to start doing that.  She laughs when I say no and looks at me like she knows she shouldn't but just can't help herself.

jen83mn

tlc11934 said:

At DD's school the teachers say "no thank you" when kids do something she shouldn't.  It sounds much nicer to me than no.  I'm going to start doing that.  She laughs when I say no and looks at me like she knows she shouldn't but just can't help herself.

My kiddo also laughs when I say no - he gets this mischievous look on his face and smiles sweetly, then keeps trying. Hard not to laugh when you're telling him no as he tries to swat you in the face while nursing or flick your nipple!

mill1020

We're still working on it with my almost-12-year-old and almost-11-year-old, so yeah.  Maybe never.

shelbydd

mill1020 said:

We're still working on it with my almost-12-year-old and almost-11-year-old, so yeah.  Maybe never.