Discipline and an 18 month old

[mountainboo]

Hi all,

I fear the terrible two's will shortly be upon us, if it hasn't already started.

I have regularly used the distraction method with my son, however this is starting to fail me. When I need to be firm with my son I get down to his level, maintain eye contact and in a firm voice I tell him no, with a short explanation. This is futile, he just laughs or shouts and then seconds later will repeat his bad behaviour. Am I doing things correctly, if not what should I be doing?

Also, whenever we go anywhere and he has the freedom of being able to walk, the first thing he does is run away. Every time! Without the harness he would be halfway to Scotland by now!! Yet, my neice (his cousin) who is just 6 weeks older, angelically stands and walks by the side of her Mum.

Any advice would be much appreciated thanks

[redcrx]

i cant help much with the naughtiness, Im finding my daughter a lot worse than my lad was at this age.
But if she runs away when we are walking then i pick her up. She doesnt like being carried so i put her down and tell her she can walk if she holds my hand. I repeat as often as needed and usually it works very quickly.

You could try the naughty step? at the moment we sit baby CRX down away from us for a moment after telling her No.

[sherrardk]

I think that what you are doing already sounds like a sensible way forward. Just because he doesn't seem to understand what you want from him doesn't mean that it won't sink in. I don't think the naughty step is supposed to be used with a little one who is so young as they can't do the follow up stuff (of knowing why they were put there and then apologising). Just because his cousin is walking by the side of her Mum doesn't mean that your little boy is doing anything wrong. We have five children, the youngest of which are 18 month old twins and it is when you see how different they behave and react to things (despite being brought up exactly the same) that you begin to realise just how different each child is.

[mountainboo]

Thanks for both bits of feedback. I will continue with the assertive tone of voice Sherrard. Like you say Red, repetativeness is probably the key also. I agree with Sherrard about the naughty step thing, my LO is too young to understand cause and effect just yet, If I told him to sit somewhere, he would get up and run off again a second later..lol. I do intend on using the naughty step idea or time out when he is older though.

[pinktwink]

firstly before you go let him know clearly what your epectations are eg that he walks beside you. Do not get into a converstion or arguement with him. Advise him if he doesnt do this you will need to return to the house.
Give him clear directions in a firm voice and then do not get into converstaion with him remove yourself or him from the situation as any attention is reinforcing.

Try specifying the behaviour you want him to display and devise a reward chart that after a while he can earn a treat for behaving in a specific way.

Give plenty of praise for the times you notice him behaving