8 Month Old Is Getting into Everything

My husband came up with this method we call the Reset Method. Basically, when the child starts getting into something they shouldn't, we say no, or don't touch, or whatever rebuke you prefer (keep it simple, though, and possibly use the same ones over and over - kids learn by repetition) and then RESET! Move the child back to their starting position (wherever you put them down to play in the first place). It teaches them cause and effect - you do this, you get moved back to start. Also, it distracts them from what they were doing and adds some distance between them and the off-limits item. This worked like a charm for my daughter, but my son was a bit more determined. Several resets had to happen and often, he had to be removed entirely from sight of the desired object/cupboard.
He's definitely not too young to be disciplined; he's definitely capable of understanding cause and effect (I even heard of someone starting time-outs at this age - basically the reset was to the pack-n-play for a set amount of time) and he can definitely understand no - as long as it's followed by a consequence (even like just moving the hand away from the object.
You may have some hard work here at the beginning of his mobility, but if you expend the effort now, you won't have to later.
Good luck!
J.

You child proof any room he'll be in and put up gates or close doors to any room you don't want him in. There isn't much to diciplining a baby excepting redirecting him anytime he gets in to something you don't want him in. Say "no paper" and give him a different toy.

We have 2 daughters, and we've used the phrase "no touch". By saying that, you're attaching an action to it....not just saying, "no" all the time - you're actually telling him what you want him to not do...not to touch whatever he's after.

We used that with the "art of redirection" - so that you can say, "No touch - hot" (to not touching the hot stove) to saying, "here's your toy truck..." (here's something you CAN play with while you're picking him up and taking him away from the hot stove). Have a box of toys that he might have forgotten about that you can pull something out of that he hasn't seen for a while to say, "Oooh look...here's Barney the dinosaur!" So there will be a "newness" factor to it.

Just a few thoughts....

At this age the best thing you can do is to baby-proof really well so that your little one has a chance to do some safe exploring without you having to say "no" all the time. Move anything that is breakable or dangerous, then give him lots of safe things to play with. (My daughter fell in love with the pots & pans and the spaghetti strainer around this age!)

When you do have to say "no", try to be gentle but firm. Physically move him away from the temptation as you say "no", and give him something else to divert his attention.

Good luck!

Providing a safe environment where your little one can explore is very important and "no, don't touch" to a child means "no, don't learn". Put fragile things away or out of reach for a while until he's older, and if there are areas he really shouldn't go in, a gate is much better because that way you aren't telling him no all the time. Take advantage of the fact that children are easily distracted and redirect him. If he opens a cabinet, kindly and gently say "oh look what you found! These things are not a choice. Let's close the door." and then show him how to close it and encourage him to play with something more appropriate. Telling a child, "no, get out of there" doesn't teach them anything and only makes the forbidden area all the more enticing. My little one (who is difficult to say the least) was fascinated with the dog food so I taught her to put all the little pieces back in the bowl and let her scoop some into the dish and it's not a problem anymore.

Our 7 month old is doing the same - crawling, pulling up, very curious. If you put her down in the middle of the floor, she will make a bee line to whatever is most dangerous. It is uncanny. We were getting frustrated because we have a 3 year old and he needs to be able to get to things, so complete babyproofing is complicated. We ended up making "baby safe zones" - a pack n play in the kitchen, a saucer in the playroom and an octagon-shaped pen in the family room. We call it her cage :) We got it at Toys R Us and it's a big enough space that she can crawl from one side to the other. We attached an activity center to it, and put safe toys inside. She tolerates if for much longer than the pack n play, and we can go about our business and play three year old toys on the outside, and she's content to watch us from in there.

I agree that he won't understand "no", but that doesn't mean you can't say "No, that can give you an owie" and redirect him. Just don't use it to discipline, because there is no such thing as discipline at that age.

And just two more things - I certainly wouldn't give a slap on the hand. Kids learn by example, so unless you want to get slapped, don't touch him. And, I laughed when I read "Crayons are for paper...". That is my mantra!

Good luck, once they become mobile it's all over! They certainly keep you on your toes :)

babies don't understand the word no yet. i'd wait till after a year to try disciplining. you need to watch him and baby proof everything and i mean EVERYTHING.good luck. and please keep your baby safe

My daughter is 9 months and we just tell her "no" and then redirect her to a toy or another place when she touches something she's not supposed to. I think she understands a little, but she'll learn more as she goes.

When I leave her unattended, I put her in a exersaucer or playpen so I know she can't get at anything dangerous. Yes, you really do have to watch them all the time unless you know they are in a safe confined space.

I agree with many of the responses you have received. My youngest daughter is 15 months and we are going through that learning stage also. They constantly want to explore. At this age, a gentle, but firm, "No" is good. Also, give them or take them to something they can play with. Right now, my daughter loves to play in my pots & pans cabinet. Yes, it is annoying to pick everything up, but it keeps her out of other areas she shouldn't be in, she is not hurting anything, and she is having fun. I also try to help her see--My daughter is tall and can reach up to the stove and almost touch the burner. It scares me. I will hold her up and so "hot" and she can see it from above (like I do). I do put a gate up at the door most times so she can't get that close if I am cooking. It sounds like your "mother instinct" is "telling" you that now is the time. Follow your "mother insticts". You also sound like a very loving and caring mother--one your son will be proud to have.

God bless you!

I agree with most of the responses, and your child is ready to be disciplined. In particular, I agree with the Mom that mentioned not saying NO too often. I always remember something I read that said discipline isn't a bad thing, it's just teaching. So I try to say NO in a different way, like the other Mom mentioned, like "We don't throw toys" or "Crayons only go on the paper, not the table". Also, one Mom said she would give her child a little slap on the hand. That did not work for me. I did that out of frustration (lightly) a couple of times, and all it did was get my son excited and he would slap back. He didn't understand, and I've found just redirecting works much better for me.

Yes, once they are on the go they are into everything!!! However, "disciplining" an 8 month old I feel is a bit much. Answer this question..can he understand why and what your telling him no about. No, so with that said redirecting is your best answer. I'm assuming you have your house clean and clear of any objects that could be harmful to him? So, you shouldn't have to follow him around constantly if this is so. A quick turnaround or a noisy toy should easily distract an 8 month old. Yes, they need to learn no and what is right and wrong to be into, but not this early.

You are right it is very normal for him to be getting into everything. However, I personally do not think diciplining a 8 mos old is an option. First, because he wont understand (it is hard to make even a two year old understand)and Second because he is only 8 mos. On the other hand I do not think we should let our kids do whatever they want, just tell him no and direct him elsewhere but I think that is about all we can do at this age. Good luck.

I use the phrase, "uh uhhh" instead of "no" because I didn't want the boys saying "no" to me. It has worked out quite well. I give them options to either play with this or that, but whatever they are doing wrong is not an option. Diverting their attention works pretty well until until somewhere between 2 and 3. I tell them that it's not safe, or ouchy, or hot, or cold, etc. I let them know in a short phrase or one word (that they can repeat and remember) the thing they wanted to do is not okay.

I also bought several cheap wooden baby gates to block my boys into areas that I could monitor. I would gate them into the kitchen when I was cooking or doing dishes. I would gate them into the living room when we were having family time, watching TV, etc. When cleaning the bathrooms, I would gate them into the hallway, so I could watch them. I would give them toys or something to keey them occupied when I couldn't constantly divert their attention.

I put magnetic locks on dangerous cupboards, latches that stuck on the cupboards for pots/pans/appliances. I put little hook and loop latches on the top of closet doors and bedroom doors to keep them out of rooms so I could watch them. Little ones can disappear into rooms and get into things so quickly it's amazing.

I went to the bathroom for like 5min and my two toddler boys reached underneith the cupboard door, pulled out a box of pancake mix and completely covered the kitchen floor and themselves. They looked like little ghosts. They were rolling around in it and having a great time. It like to take me forever to get it off the floor, out of the corners of the room and washing it out of their hair. Another time they helped each other climb on top of the counter, got out the peanut butter and they had it in their hair, all over the carpet, etc. This was while I took a shower. Little ones are really ornery. No matter how safe you try to make things they can find ways to get into stuff really quickly. Good luck!

I did not read all the responses, so this might be a repeat. I think there is no magical age when they understand no. We have been saying it to my son for a long time (he is almost 2) and he will walk over to something that he should not touch and go to touch it and say "no" and walk away.
I definitely suggest telling him WHY you say no. As in "No pulling on the dog's tail; that hurts him". As people should do with kids of all ages, tell them why you are saying now. We find when we give him a reason, he is much happies to take the no.

NOW is an excellent time for now especially since babies put things in their mouths that are bad for them such as plants electrical items and whatever happens to be in their reach .do it now.K.

As soon as my kids started moving around, they learned what they could and could not play with or touch. I NEVER put things up. I didn't want to be that mom who walks in someone else's house and goes around moving their valuables because they have been too lazy to teach their kids what "no" means, and therefore other people's valuables are at risk.

What I did was everytime they got ready to touch something they shouldn't, I would say "Brayden, no" with a stern voice. Then, if he went on to touch it, I would get up and walk over to him, kneel down to be eye level, grab his hand and say "NO" and then swat the back of his hand. There were days that I would just stay standing for awhile because he was learning what his boundaries were an extra lot that day. The thing is, kids learn through testing. They learn about anything from gravity to rules to eating through their own testing. So, if you don't teach them during this time of their testing, then you are setting yourself up for even more testing. If you put things up instead of teaching him his boundaries, then you are teaching him that he is allowed to touch EVERYTHING, and as soon as you try to put those things back down, he's already learned that he can touch everything, and those items will be included in that. Then, when you try to tell him no, he's going to have to test and test and test because in his mind, those are HIS things. So, start out the right way. Don't move things, just reprimand him so he learns his boundaries, and people will also love this at their house when you visit because once he learns, all you have to say is "NO" and he won't touch whatever he was about to touch.

From now until about 2 year old the best way is to re-direct. When he touches something he shouldn't, say "no" firmly and put his attention somewhere else. Give him something he can touch. It's not too early to start but it might be awhile before he "gets it".

Also, you do not want to follow him around saying "no" all day. If they hear the word "no" too often, they'll just tune it out. So save "no" for the biggies - like running into the street - so you'll have their attention. So you can say stuff like "we throw this ball, not the vase" or "climb this, not that" (we keep a Kangaroo Climber in our family room when the kids are this age and literally climbing the walls). Have 1 or 2 rooms in the house totally baby/toddler proof so you can leave him alone for short periods of time (showers, cooking dinner, etc) without worrying about him getting hurt. And while he's in these rooms, you don't have to say "no" to him.

I don't baby proof the entire house - only a couple rooms that can be gated off when we need to contain the curious baby/toddler for short periods of time. There are plenty of breakable things in my living room and dining room and the baby/toddler plays in there. My youngest is now 16 months and well aware of what she can touch and not touch in those rooms. When we go visit friends who don't have kids and have lots of breakable stuff, my kids know not to touch and play with stuff. I know too many toddlers who can't leave anythign alone because their parents never taught them.

With both of my children, it was about 6 months of age and they quickly learned what NO meant. they understand more than some people give them credit for. If they are doing something and you tell them NO, they will try it again, but if you keep saying NO to that particular thing, they get it.

Tell him "NO" sternly and redirect him to something else a toy or board book.It is never to early to teach them no and redirect them. I never had to keep my breakables put up away from the reach of a child And nothing ever got broke. They understand a lot more than you think they do.

My son is almost 8, and I can remember this predicament like it was yesterday. I asked my dad the same question when my son was 6 months old. I said, "When do I know when he understands "No"? Dad said, "Now". A part of you wants to say, no, no, no, he's just a baby, a little while longer until I have to discipline...please. Based on the fact that you're asking the question, though, means that you're concerned about having a well-behaved child. It's our job to direct them and teach them. My 2 cents.:)