Mischievous 12 month old - too early for discipline?

[Anonymous]

I have an adorable, impy, mischievous almost 1-year old. She's definitely moving out of the blameless, doesn't-know-any-better baby phase and into the willful toddler phase. She's just beginning to test limits, gauge reactions, and push boundaries, although I still think a lot of it is "play" and not intentional bad behavior. Is it too early to start with some gentle discipline? I don't mean redirecting unsafe activities - if she starts to crawl towards the bathroom where she's not allowed to go, for example, we pick her up and say "uh-oh!." Would a 2 minute "time out" in her Pack-N-Play be effective, or is she still too young to understand consequences etc?

[Anonymous]

Looking forward to this answer as well. My almost 1 year old knows what "NO" means and knows certain things he isn't supposed to do. But he does them anyways and actually looks at me when I say "no", smiles, and keeps trying to do it. (lately it has been trying to break down the gate at the bottom of the stairs, which he's been able to do. (yes we are getting a new one) I've caught him waiting for me to say no to the activity too. Apparently he finds it funny.

redirecting doesn't work in the long run .

[Anonymous]

Yes it is too early. She's a baby. Redirect.

[Anonymous]

YES. Say no and redirect, she is too young to connect the two.

Don't worry, in a little while you can give out all the time outs you want.

[Anonymous]

Probably too early for "discipline" but that doesn't mean that redirection, or failing to give attention for unwanted behavior (vs giving LOTS of attention as a reward) aren't providing valuable learning.

No reason not to start teaching the behavior you want to encourage. But time outs won't mean anything yet (probably).

[Anonymous]

They are babies! Yes they know what the word no means but that doesn't mean they have impulse control. Ignore as much as you can. That looking at you waiting for a no is exactly that--seeking your attention.

[Anonymous]

OP here - PP, glad someone else is in the same boat! It's so true! When she's about to do something she knows she's not supposed to do, she'll look at me, make sure she catches my eye, says "uh-oh!" with a big grin on her face, and then proceeds to do it anyway. Oy. I'm finding this stage really exhausting/frustrating.

[Anonymous]

You can say, "we don't hit" and redirect. That was around the time I started to get more serious about not throwing food. No punishment, yet, but definitely don't feed into it by giving negative attention.

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure how to redirect without giving her the attention she's seeking. If she does something she's not supposed to, do I say "no!" or "uh-oh!" or the like, or is that what she's looking for? How can I let her know she's doing something bad/unsafe without saying "no"?

[Anonymous]

Too early.

Redirect and use the occasional age appropriate natural consequences. Too young for time outs or other forms of discipline.

[Anonymous]

I don't think it is attention seeking behavior at this point. I think the look you get is her checking to see if you are watching and will stop her. Like a baby dropping the cup and waiting for it to come back, this is learning cause and effect. And it is comforting to them, and helps them learn limits, to know that every time they do "x," it isn't allowed. Not the same as a say, three year old doing something naughty to get Mommy to pay attention instead of chat with her friends, YKWIM?
Just move her, or take the thing away, or whatever. Turn their attention to something else and carry on. Its a stage and they will grow out of it.

[Anonymous]

Too early for "punishment" but not too early for redirection. The redirection can even include removing her from whatever activity she is currently engaged in.

[Anonymous]

Ignore the unwanted behavior and child-proof as much as you can. She's doesnt get why a bathroom is sometimes ok to be in and sometimes not ok. So just make it out of her reach.

[Anonymous]

Just pick her up without a reaction, as though it never happened. No "No!" or "uh oh!" She is just trying to get a reaction from you. And, child-proof. She doesn't know what is safe and what is not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it is attention seeking behavior at this point. I think the look you get is her checking to see if you are watching and will stop her. Like a baby dropping the cup and waiting for it to come back, this is learning cause and effect. And it is comforting to them, and helps them learn limits, to know that every time they do "x," it isn't allowed. Not the same as a say, three year old doing something naughty to get Mommy to pay attention instead of chat with her friends, YKWIM?
Just move her, or take the thing away, or whatever. Turn their attention to something else and carry on. Its a stage and they will grow out of it.

Totally this. OP pretty soon you will see some truly intentionally bad behavior - but this isn't it.