Nathan

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Thursday, December 18, 2008

On Discipline

I don't want to start a political debate or anything, but I have a question for you young moms. How do you discipline your littles?

Nathan goes to a daycare where they use 2-3 minute time-outs for the children (depending on their ages). Obviously he is too little to be time-out recipient, but the 2 and 3 year olds are disciplined that way. I'm struggling with Nathan's biting while nursing. (We're weaning next month, so I guess I'm asking this question for future reference more than anything.) When I tell him "No!" he just laughs and laughs, as if I were telling the world's best knock-knock joke. Also, when we let him out of jail to wander around the living room or kitchen, I try to reinforce the "no" by pulling him away from the attractive nuisance or hazard. Again, the maniacal laughter.

So, moms --- what do you do?

4 comments:

AJU5's Mom said...

I already do time out if things get bad with AJU5. Mainly it is to keep my sanity than to punish her (and half the time she is sleepy but refusing to nap). I will either put her in her room or in her crib. We also lightly slap her hand (very lightly!) when she throws her food or cup. We have tried the saying no, but she just kept doing it (and she is still hungry when she does this, so removing the food isn't an option).

Time out is great because it allows you to relax and rationally think about what happened and takes the kid away from the situation (and fun most likely). I think the rule of thumb is use the age as the number of minutes.

Candy said...

One of the things I remember reading when my kids were little, and I used it to some effectiveness, was to deny them the thing they want most when they're that age. That thing, of course, is you.

If he's biting and laughing when you say no, I'd put him in his chair, or playpen or wherever is safe, and leave him for a few seconds. Doesn't have to be long. Just long enough that it's not fun anymore.

It's really a tough age to discipline, they simply don't understand, and he's not trying to hurt you. He doesn't understand that biting hurts!

Good luck, stay calm and know he'll outgrow it ;)

Shannon said...

Amen, Liam also thinks I am doing a stand up routine whenever he bites, pinches, pulls hair, squeezes. He likes to express his happiness in all these ways. In other words, he's a happy biter. It's a blessing I am at home because I honestly believe he would have been "expelled" from at least a dozen daycares by now. I am doing the whole stern no and removing him from the situation. Honestly, I think we just have to keep on and wait for them to get to the point they know we aren't being funny. I practice my evil face at least 10 times in the mirror. It's best to get a head start.

Anonymous said...

Alright, this is not going to be a popular answer, but you asked:
When the mackerdoodle bit me the first time, I spanked her hand. She didn't do it again.

We use spanking already with her, because she can't understand logic, but she can understand the idea of disobedience. After spanking her, we hug her, and tell her we love her, but she has learned that there are certain behaviors that are unacceptable.