Disciplining 1 year olds..?

Question

I was reading another question where someone asked about how they could discipline their 13 month old. Someone suggested "Try a timeout chair and tell her it isn't nice that if she does it she has to sit in the corner!"

I have a 12 month old and I can't even imagine using that with him. Not because I think it's wrong, but because there's no way he'd understand my saying "do that again and you'll have to sit in the corner." and there's also NO way to get a baby that young to SIT anywhere. Unless I take him and hold him down in the corner????

How does this work, I'm confused.

Answer 1

every kid is so different- some kids take "no" as a challenge, and some hear you say "no" and are happy to move away from or stop doing whatever.  For example, with 2 of my kids, if they went to stick their finger in a light socket or throw grandma's Hummel figurine, I said "no" firmly and tapped their hand.  Once they know "no" then just saying it should stop them.  Also, very important to praise good behavior and redirect bad behavior with a "no" followed by showing them what they SHOULD be doing.

Answer 2

It probably was a young person with no parenting experience that said that.  

Answer 3

Distraction and babyproofing will be your best friend. Babies this age can't comprehend a timeout chair. Babyproofing will take care of most things that are dangerous to play with or things you do not want broken. At that age, I think it is our main job to make a safe environment that children can learn and explore. If you are somewhere that isn't possible like your MIL's house, the mall, etc then distraction will work well. Move them away from the situation and show them what they can do and play with. Discipline means to teach, so show them what they can play with and model how to be gentle and respectful and you will set up a great foundation of discipline.  

Answer 4

I think you were reading my question!  LOL.  

Anyway, .  Just telling her no a little bit more forcefully seems to help.  If I smack her hand she just laughs.   So I just have to tell her no firmly and direct her away from whatever she's not supposed to do or whatever.  It works for the most part.  

I think the people who were suggesting those things either didn't have a kid or didn't remember what their kids were like at 1 !

Answer 5

You make great points.  Time-outs are completely ineffective until at least two years of age, according to my pediatrician.  I have a one-year old, and to be honest, I've yet to experience her do anything that requires discipline!  The only thing that has ever even come close was when she smacked her big sister and then laughed.  I simply said, "no!" in a stern voice, and she started to cry.  

Seriously, timing-out a baby of this age is ridiculous.  And people should remember, a one year old is still a baby, for goodness sake!  Good luck.

Answer 6

My boys starting getting timeouts at 12 months but only to calm them down but by 2 years old they understood it was because they did something wrong and by 3 years old they really got what timeout was all about.  I just sat them down in a corner for a minute (which isn't long at all) just so they were pulled away from whatever they did wrong and they weren't allowed a toy while there.  Because it was only 1 minute really they didn't have time to be getting up, they just had time to calm down.