What to start at 18m? Time out? Wake up light? Eating at the table?

Haven1

I tend to think of our boys as babies, but well, they aren't anymore. They'll be 18 months in a week. (Holyshit!) I know their new day care does time outs, so I guess we'll start those at home. DS1 likes to wake up early and sleep with me on the couch. I know they make those alarm lights that tell them when they "can" wake up. I don't think there's any way in hell he'll understand and obey it, but maybe I'm not giving him enough credit. And should they be eating at the table now? I have no clue. My friend with an 18 month girl is starting potty introduction, I laughed in her face. I KNOW we aren't ready for that. I feel like there was so many to-do's for one year. I'm a little lost at 18 months. TIA!

leslie13510

I personally think 18 months is a little on the young side for time-outs, but it really depends on the maturity and personality of the kids.  Redirection still worked best for us at that age, but it wasn't too long after that when we started time-outs. 

A Teach Me Time clock would probably still be lost on them at this age.  We got one right around their second birthday, and while it was a miracle worker, they were just barely at the point where they understood it.  It probably wouldn't hurt to get one now if you want, but I wouldn't count on it working for a while.

I think mine were eating at the table around 15 months old.  I just pushed their high chairs up and put down a couple placemats.  They were able to focus more on eating, and did better overall at meal times, when they ate with DH and I, and were really a part of the group.  

ougrad1

Landry and Hudson are 17 months today and I'm not going to do anything different in a month than I am now.  Are they already in big boy beds or is he just waking and wanting you to come in and get him?   I'll do the table and chairs later probably around 2 years-maybe a tad sooner.  I took Emerson out of the crib at 2 and she did great.  I'm not brave enough with the babies to do that so soon.  Potty Training didn't do that with Emerson until she turned 3....so yeah, we will just keep doing what is working at the moment!  : )

ETA-we are redirecting at this point as well....time outs will start at two when they get it. 

amanda31H

My girls would NEVER get the concept of the wake up clock.  I probably won't do that until we move them to beds, and I plan on delaying that as long as possible.  I'm thinking it will be around 2.5 years.  When the new baby comes, we'll move the girls to the downstairs bedroom, but not to beds.  Once they're used to being downstairs, I'll take out the cribs and switch them to beds.

Time outs- ehhhh not REALLY.  Every once in awhile the girls will absolutely FLIP THE EFF OUT.  I'm talking stomping feet, flailing arms, and screaming.  When that happens I put them on the couch.  It's not a time out, per se, it's more of me removing them from the situation that caused them to freak out, and them being in a spot where they can't hurt anyone (including themselves) with their tantrum.  I think they'll understand time outs in a couple months, but not quite yet.

Eating at the table..........We are going to start doing that next week.  I actually think we might try to get rid of the high chairs altogether.  They are so bulky and we are sick of having them in the dining room.  We may use our travel booster seats and strap them to chairs.  It could be wayyy more messy, but I'm wiling to give it a try.

meagamomma2be

My girls have been eating at the table for a long time because we don't have room for trays.  They are in booster seats so they are still strapped in.

We do timeouts.  They don't stay in time out very well, so I turn one of the booster seats to the corner and strap the offender in.  We do minutes according to age (so 1.5 minutes).

 We taught our 3 year old how to tell time (sort of).  She knows when the first number is 7 she can get out of bed in the morning.  I think 18m is probably too young to understand a wake up light.  You can always try and see how it goes.  If it doesn't work, put it away and try again in a few months.