16 Mo Throws Everything!

Hi L.,
He needs to know that this is not okay but without him getting too much attention. Children will do something to get a reaction even if it isn't good. Next time he does it, go down to his level, look him in the eye and say "No, we don't throw" and then remove the toy and him if anyone is in danger of getting hurt to an area away from everyone. Don't say anything else and don't even look at him. This way he will begin to realize that his behavior is not getting a reaction. You can also try a time-out area but only for a minute or less.
Don't worry, I'm sure its just a phase he is going through and its pretty normal for his age. 1 year old's love 'cause and effect' i.e. I'll throw something and just look at all the attention I get!
Try to be consistent and firm and develop a "teacher voice".
Good luck!
N. W.
Williamsburg Nanny Agency

Along the lines of the brain hearing only "blah blah throw", try saying "Please set your cup on the tray." "Put the car on the floor" things like that, i.e. tell him what TO do. Whatever you pick to do, PLEASE be 100% consistent. If you decide time out, or relocation to another room, whatever it is, stick with it. I have a friend who sometimes is talking and hands the item back to her son! One night her husband swatted her son after they told him not throw, but had not told him what would happen if he did it and there was big drama, but the next day he was getting time outs, a different response. Needless to say, a year later it is still a problem. Basically, kids are trying to figure life out and we have to provide consistent reactions or they keep testing. Good luck!

I agree with other posters...if you don't present consequences for the bad behavior, then he will keep doing it - he doesn't care if you say not to...follow through with a punishment - take the toys away, make him stand in the corner, etc....

I literally just put my 14 1/2 month old in timeout for this very thing! only moments ago! He then promptly went back to his toys looked at me and did it again! They love the cause and effect. So I have to get him to NOT like the effect. I took all those toys away immediately and moved him onto something else. He LOVES to throw his sippy cup when done with it. I caught him this morning BEFORE the throw.. took it from him and gave him lots of hugs and kisses and praises for NOT throwing it! It is a stage and obviously some kids will do it more than others (I have two older girls and they didn't care to do this as much as he does).. ofcourse daddy likes to play a game with him on his changing table where he drops things off and my husband does an exaggerated "Nooooooo , don't do it...." so that they both laugh when he drops it. I am sure that is not helping! LOL. Seriously.. timeouts and distraction from those toys so that the behavior ceases to have the effect that he wants and he no longer finds it "funny".. it is a phase but they have to learn..

good luck.. I will try to survive it with ya...

Hi L.,
Take your little one to the library and pick out a book that talks about this issue...in toddler terms...to the toddler...with pictures. Even if the words are hardly understood when you read them, you and your husband can point to the actions in the book and show your son by making sounds like "ouch" or "ooo, not nice" in order for him to "get the picture." Hope this helps...J. S.

Hi L.. I am a SAHM of 4 small children and I have been there with a littel one liking to throw things. When my little one throws things, I put on the stern voice and say "no sir, that's not nice." And I pluck his little hand. It works. I tell him to be nice. The youngest is 13 months, this is the one who has thrown things.

I have a 22 month old that has started doing this. The moment she throws anything I march her to her room, sit her on her bed and give her 2 minute timeout...2 minutes of QUIET...I calmly explain on the way down the hall that we Do Not throw and she is going to time out. it's making a big difference! hope that helps! ps. we started using timeouts at 16 months! so it's not to soon for your child to understand!

My son did the EXACT same thing. Keep in mind when you tell him not to do something, do not use the word, "don't". Toddlers have no concept of what it means so all they hear when you say "Don't throw the remote," is "Blah, blah, throw the remote." I read that in the John Rosemond books, and it is VERY true. That might help. Instead, say "No throwing."
Also, keep in mind that he is not too young to be disciplined either. You can do the Supernanny bit where you put him in a playpen or on a rug for timeout for 1 minute. (That didn't work for our first but did for our second.) It all depends on the temperment of the child. Chances are this will resolve, but it takes time.

My son busted my lip twice in one day when he was going through that, and I thought I was going to go absolutely nuts. Do your best, that's all you can do.