What Age Should You Start Displining Your Child?

Check out the materials from Love and Logic. They are fabulous!

I actually just had my son's 15 month check up this week and they told me now is a great time to introduce discipline. They suggested time-outs using 1 minute for each year of age. If you have a pack and play or some kind of playpen, set it up in a corner without toys or entertainment and start using it for a time out area. When the child misbehaves calmly but firmly tell them no and give them 1 chance, after that tell them again what they did wrong and put them in time out. I'm sure you know this, but it is all about having patience. They absolutely will misbehave again and again, but at least you'll have a plan.

NOW...& I agree w/ the Love & Logic recommendations- get the toddler book & check out their website, too.
http://www.loveandlogic.com/
D.

Go to babycenter.com. They say 18months. Before then redirection is best because before then, they really don't understand. You sound like you have your handsful!

Dear S.,

It looks like you've had some good responses. But I want to add to it. Children are indeed looking for boundaries when they act out like this. They want to know where their limits are and want to make sure you're going to enforce them. Whether its a slight slap on the wrist or bottom or timeout or sit in a corner, the message you want to get across is that you love them too much to let them continue that behavior. Redirection works for non-strong-willed children but if you have a strong-willed one, you'll need more discipline than that!

And remember--discipline is an act of love, not an act of harshness. Consistent discipline makes a child feel loved.
Hope this helps!

A. S.

start now. Read Love and Logic and the Happiest Toddler on the Block. Great books.

First of all, at 14 months old you will simply have to repeat and repeat and repeat instruction/disciplinary action, etc. It's their nature. She's wanting to see if you do the same thing every time. If you change things up, she'll definitely keep doing it.
Also, "discipline" isn't necessarily about "punishment." Discipline can be found in routines, natural consequences (if you drop your cookie, the dog will eat it...and I'm not getting you another cookie....).

I am a firm believer in Parenting with Love and Logic. One thing love & logic is good for is a generic response. Every time she hits/gets into the trash/whatever, tell her no then give her one chance to comply. If she doesn't, put her in the playpen. There are also some great tips in a book by the "super nanny." Her ways seem similar to things I've read about with Love & Logic.

Let me first say that I think if there were a "right" way then someone would have bottled it up and became the richest person ever. What's right for one child isn't always right for the other. Have you tried time out? THat would be my first suggestion. Maybe have a pack n play or something that she doesn't sleep in all the time and put her in for 1 minute (They say 1 minute for each year that they are). Remember that she can't communicate with you, and that has a lot to do with the hitting and knocking things out of hands, etc. My son is 15 months and loves the trash. When I learned that he was interested, I started letting him "help" me. I would give him a tissue or something to throw away, and he was so proud. It did end up that he wanted to help and throw crayons and toys and no telling what else away, but that's just something I'm having to work with him on (what does go in the trash and what doesn't). She's curious and trying to do what she sees you do, and she knows there's something you do with the trash and the plugs. She's also probably testing boundaries, but if "no" is what she hears all the time, then "no" is what you're going to be hearing all the time pretty soon from her. I was just reading the other day that at this age they like the reactions they get even if it's a shout or a cry because they realize that they're the ones causing it. They don't realize it's bad. I myself have been working hard (but it's a tough one) to not react if my son slaps. That way he sees that it's not causing a reaction, so he doesn't feel compelled to do it. I actually have noticed a huge difference. If he walks over to the fireplace screen (that's our problem arean), I used to tell him no or nicely tell him that we don't play with that. Well neither worked. Now I don't even look at him or say anything, and after three times, he hasn't gone back over there. It's just a suggestion. I hope you find what works for you.