How to get a one year old to listen?

Question

I've been trying to teach my one year old "No", but I don't want to yell at him, and as much as I try to distract him from things I don't want him in but I always want him to learn the meaning of "No". How did you do it?

Answer 1

Look him in the eye, at his level and say 'mummy doesn't want you to do that <insert name>, come be a big boy and show mummy your toys' after that pick him up and play with him, with his favorite toy. i do this with my daughter and although its taken 3 months she finally understands. and she still says 'no' to me lol, or 'oh-no!' when she's been really naughty and i say her full name. so funny lol.

Answer 2

Don't yell at him.He is too small to understand your yelling,which can have negative effect on him.

Even he is too small to understand the word "dangerous".But here are some tips that can help baby to understand what to do and not to do:-

@ for things you don't want him to touch, you touch the thing and act and make face as if you got hurt and make sound like "Ah" ,so that he understand "AH" sound for getting hurt.

@you can say simply NO and remove the thing from his reach. He will cry little but will understand the meaning of NO. Be strict but don't be rude.

@you can use the things to make him listen to you.EXAMPLE:-you can say, i will give you medicine if you touch this (this in case he is afraid of medicine) or the dirty bug will bite you...so on. But be sure you fright him with same thing whenever he tries to be stubborn. The things to fright him should be simple not dangerous. Again, be strict but not rude.

@if electric switches are at lower wall,then put transparent sallo tape on it ,to avoid any mishappening.

Above all ,be patient,growing children learn and experiment things their own way.

Answer 3

I found some tips over this blog:

http://www.child-behaviour-problems.com

Answer 4

I think you are on the right track. Teaching baby "no" takes repetition and time for it to sink in, but I think babies are smart and can learn the meaning of "no" from a very early age.

I started with my 1 year old when he was 8 months and was crawling around. Of course, he repeatedly tried to do things he's not allowed to do (still does), and he is testing limits all the time, but I consistently said "no", then removed him if he disobeyed. He got the message pretty quickly. Now, when he tries to do things he knows he shouldn't, he will check to see if I am looking before he does it. If I say "no" he will stop.

I also set aside his own play area, where he can pull down "his" books as much as he wants. At the same time, he knows he cannot touch "mommy & daddy's" books. This seems to help him overcome his itch for destruction, while making it manageable for us!

Answer 5

Your child is too young to learn WHY you want him out of some things. For him all things are the same - why not play with everything? What's the difference?

You have to keep the things away from him. This is not a puppy, who will learn to respond to "Sit" or "No!'.

Keep things out of reach and out of sight, and introduce new things to the environment gradually. To keep his mind off a dangerous or fragile object, distract him with something he can play with safely - something new, but that belongs to him. He won't learn the difference between playing with a wooden spoon (safe, but yours) and a sharp knife (unsafe, but still yours), for example. So keep his playing to toys.

Putting stuff out of reach of a curious playful child will sound inconvenient and defeatist, but it's the way to go for now. In a couple of years you will wonder what you were worrying about.

Good luck.

Answer 6

Sometimes spanking there hands works.  It's kinda of hard i have a one year old and all you can do is  say No but you have to mean it when you say no.

Answer 7

Only use "no" when it is non-negotiable and a deal-breaker.  Other than that, use redirection.  NEVER spank.

What sorts of things are you using NO for?

Try, "Yes, later" - as in, "Can I have a cookie?"  "Yes, later."

Answer 8

After a while NO will be a funny word for them to say. Once you notice that he/she is doing something that you don't approve of let him know why it is not safe/or ok for him to continue. Get him/her distracted with something else and be involved with them. Communication is the best key, with little ones even if they don't understand exactly what your saying.  

Answer 9

I agree with the 1st reply...at 1 they just won't understand and distraction is the best.

Answer 10

No never works.  He'll end up saying it back to you and irritating you to no end.  Distract him with something else and use the positives with him.  Kids can't hear no all the time.  Trust me, I have 3.  

Answer 11

Of course he is only one, but he does need to learn. Say "no" and remove him from whatever he is not supposed to be doing. Tell him why also, in simple terms. Like "hurt baby", "hot", etc.

You must also be consistent!!  (and patient...lol).

Don't worry, he'll learn.