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Toddlers: 12 - 24 Months
GRKaters
member
Good grief, he doesn't "get" NO!
GRKaters
member
My kid cannot be the only one who disregards all of my saying "no." Regardless of how I say it--nicely, repeatedly, in a mean voice, as I'm dragging him away from whatever it is he's not supposed to touch, he will.not.listen. How in the world do you discipline someone who has such a disregard (or lack of understanding) of what you're saying? This is becoming incredibly frustrating.
When he's playing with something I've just said no to (the dehumidifier in the basement, for example, or the oven door and stove knobs), he will go back to it as if nothing happened. Sometimes he'll even look at me and smile. What a stinker! So I go remove him from it again, saying "Mommy said no. We don't play with the stove." And he'll pitch himself backwards, stiff as a board, and shriek. And then go back to it. Again, I take him away and this time hold his hands down, saying he's in a time out (on my lap) and count to 5. Then I let him go, saying "we don't play with ___."
Please tell me WTH I am doing wrong. These aren't things I can move out of his reach, and I am at a loss.
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Re: Good grief, he doesn't "get" NO!
I'm right there with you.
You're not alone. Whenever we tell him "no" or "no touch", like when he plays with the computer or tv or something we can't babyproof, he sometimes takes that to mean he should go around the room and try to touch everything we've ever told him "no" about. Fun times.
One tiny tip: I read somewhere not to tell them "Don't play with ....," instead use "don't touch..." because they get confused over the usage of the word 'play,' which is a positive thing. Not that it makes any difference...he still touches, lol.
I don't think you're doing anything wrong. I think it's just completely normal for them to do this (albeit frustrating).
The only thing that makes me feel better is reminding myself (read this in a child development book) that this is how they learn what the "rules" are---by testing them over and over again. He's seeing if he really can't mess with the stove at all or if that only applied a minute ago (or yesterday or whatever). It takes a while for them to figure out their world and testing you and your rules really is their way of doing that.
I know that doesn't make it any less annoying, but it helps me to remember that its totally normal developmentally and we just have to stick it out until she gets it.