Disciplining your LO ?'s

bumpuser511563

I am having the hardest time with disciplining DS. I have been using the tactics that the daycare has been using like "no, we don't hit" or "ouch that hurts mommy." And I have been doing this repeatedly, but now DS laughs every time I get stern with him or mad at him. I have already put him in the play pen for time outs, too. And I have taken things away.

I just feel so helpless and I don't think any of these ideas is working. How can I get DS to listen to me? I don't really know what to do.

TIA

Abinormal

When he does something that you don't want him to do, are you redirecting?

For example, DD loves to play with our TV remotes and, of course, we don't want her messing with the ones that actually operate our TV/sound system, etc. So, I dug out an old TV remote and everytime she goes for one of the ones on the coffee table, I give her the other remote. She now goes for the "Tegan" remote almost every single time.

Christmasbaby18

agree with PP.  Always try to make every statement positive.  As in, tell LO what to do, instead of what not to do.  So when he hits you can show him how to be gentle, ect. 

honeybee111

I agree with redirecting and showing the positive alternative.  Also, I praise correct behavior every single time DD exhibits it(or as much as I can see).  I only use my "stern" voice if she's about to do something that's not safe and DD knows I mean business when I use that tone.

MrandMrsAndrews

Fortunately for me, MIL is a daycare provider and has little ones from 6 weeks to 3 years old, so I have an expert that I can call on any time I need it.  Also, I recently took a positive parenting course that focused on discipline.  Unfortunately, they mostly focused on older kiddos (2.5+)....but the two things that you can effectively do at this age:

1. Redirect

2. Remove

 When DS hits me, I won't hold him or pick him up - this is my way of "removing".  I tell him that he is hurting mommy and put him down (if I was holding him to begin with). 

Like the PP, if he is doing something we don't want him to do, we just try to redirect to something that might interest him more.  He has his "own" set of keys, his own remote (that doesn't operate anything), etc. 

Also, we use A LOT of positive reinforcement.  We have taught him to get his own diapers and wipes from the downstairs spot when we are here - because he gets so excited that he gets to open a drawer  

It is really hard at this age.  There are times that I feel like I am a horrible mom and have no control over my kid.  But there are those moments that it really seems like it is working, and that makes it all worthwhile!

AutumnBride929

When DS does something naughty like smack our TV screen with a toy (that he knows is wrong), we say, "Noah, do you want to go to time out?" as a warning (there is a spot by the window in our living room where we have the time out spot).  Even though that's just said as a question and not a demand, he automatically goes over there and sits down, lol.  I don't know if he makes the connection that that's a punishment or not though.  He seems to enjoy it.  While he sits there we say, "Do you know why you're sitting there?" or "Have you thought about why you're in time out?" Obviously, he doesn't understand any of this yet but I figure the more consistent we are now, the better he'll understand in the future.

However, I know that he just likes the attention more than anything I think... so if he walks up to the TV again like he's going to bang on it, I will say, "Noah, come here!" to get his attention on to something else.  I think that might actually work better in this particular circumstance.  So we're pretty much learning as we go in terms of techniques, lol.