Is it time to dicipline my 10 month old?

Question

I know she doesnt understand, but I have to teach her that it is not ok to reach to the top of the entertainment center and stick her hand in the tape slot of the vcr/dvd player and then wiggle her fingers all across the buttons.

I have tried telling her no, and gently pulling her away from it, and then showing her another toy she can play with. I even sit there for a few seconds to play with her, hoping she will forget all about the vcr/dvd player. Of course it doesnt work and she is like a magnet, zooming back over to it. I tried using a stern voice to say no and she looks at me seriously for a second and then continues. I dont feel like she is trying to rebell, but she just doesnt get that I really dont want her to do that.

My first baby.....do I began to dicipline?, is there another way to get her to stop? Any ideas are welcome.

Answer 1

Can you put your vcr/dvd player up out of her reach?  This would be a good idea.  If not, then just continue to tell her "No, No" in a firm voice - frowning so that she will see that you disapprove, until she finally understands.

Answer 2

You could try taking away things that she enjoys, or try moving the dvd/vcr to some place where she can't reach, or in a cabinet. Or, consider taking it away all together until she starts forgetting about it and put it back, but in a different spot. Just by telling her "No" she won't stop, she will continue, she doesn't understand that it's wrong just yet.

Answer 3

That depends what you mean by 'discipline'. Can't you just move it out of reach or lock it away somewhere?

I certainly wouldn't smack her if thats what you mean, she's just being a naturally curious baby.

Answer 4

Aww hun I'm there with my 9 month old. Use a firm NO and remove her from the situation. If you can rotate her toys so she doesn't see the same toys every day so old toys are "new" again. This will keep her more interested in them. If you have the chance you might consider taking a cloth (preferably drab with little pattern or decoration) and lay that over the top of it. No more shiny buttons to play with! Of course that may not work, my daughter has figured out that the curtains move so she's constantly banging on the window in the door. LOL off to her bedroom we go, otherwise she won't leave the window alone.

Answer 5

You're doing exactly what you should do.  Unfortunately, it's very fascinating for her.  What we had to do was put something over the buttons so our son wasn't able to push them.  (We just got a piece of cardboard to size and taped it over).  You're either going to need to move it out of reach or put something over it because she's not quite old enough yet to understand.

Answer 6

use baby sign langusge. when she does that behavior, tell her loudly and assertivly, NO, hold out your hand like a stop sign in front of her face so she can see it, and say NO, NO, NO. repeat this until she figures it out. also, removing her from the area after discipline will teach her that you really mean no when you say it.

Good Luck!

Answer 7

We went to Walmart and got some CLEAR plastic tabletop covering in the sewing area and some velcro. cut plastic to the size of your entertainment center and put velcro on all the corners and midarea depending how big it is. that way, she can't get to all the stuff on the e/t. center. and you don't have to open an close doors. and you can turn your tv vcr etc on with the remotes. of course you have to pull the velcro open when you want to play something in dvd or vcr. Also, push everything back a little so it isn't right up against the edge so she can't push the buttons thru the plastic.

Answer 8

traditional discipline as in punishment? noooo. no, no, no. definitely not. you are doing the right thing already. unfortuantely, the only solution is to move it where she can't reach it -- that is, if you are worried she will ruin it/hurt herself. she is in the stage of learning to interact autonomously in her environment -- so her curiosity is both about the dvd player AND eliciting the "no" response from you. she is doing it over and over to see if the same things happen -- again, if the machine reacts the same way, and if you respond the same way. it's infuriating for us, but for them. it's learning. by 9 months or so, a baby does in fact understand the word "no." and eventually she will listen to it (sometimes...ha). so, yes, continue to say it, continue to redirect her, move it if you have to, and hang in there. it is all very normal and there will be more of it! you're doing a good job, momma: don't change your approach.

Answer 9

You need to displine her or she will only get worse....