Teaching a baby "no"
Well, Shawn is crawling (he's 8 months), and he is so fast and he's into everything! I remember Luke starting to crawl, and we could put a toy in front of him and he would sit and play with it. If we told him no-no, he seemed to understand and learn quickly. He really never got into things around the house, and we could easily distract him. He wasn't one to try to venture off and "explore." I know, I know, he wasn't a normal baby! Shawn I'm sure is like most babies....everything around them is new and exciting, and he would love to get his hands on anything and everything! I swear, I turn around and take 5 steps and he's already headed for trouble. This is funny...last week I put him in the middle of the living room, put a few toys in front of him, and I went to the kitchen to get his bottle ready (I can see the entire living room from anywhere in the kitchen). I turned around, and he was already GONE. I ran across the room and found him headed around the side of the couch. In a matter of 15 seconds, he had pulled about 10 kleenexes out of a tissue box he found on the floor, he dumped an whole glass of water than my husband left next to the couch the night before, and he was on his way to over to a laptop that was sitting on the floor. 15 seconds! Needless to say, this is the norm, and we are quickly realizing how easy we had it with Luke. We have started to introduce NO-NO to him, but it usually makes him laugh, and he goes faster for the trouble he is headed to.
My question - how old were your babies when you had to introduce "no." And how long did it take for them to learn what no means? Do you think the best thing is just to repeat no-no, and he will eventually learn?
Early
We introduced Jacob around 5-6 months. He is 10 months and thinks it is funny the first time we say no and then when we say it with more substance and a deeper tone, he seems to understand and moves away most of the time from what he is doing, unless he wants to be really naughty that day. We usually say no once, then go over to him and if he continues say no again, the third time he gets a smack on the hand and then moved away from what he is doing. We do this for stuff that he is not suppose to touch like the fireplace screen or the remotes (ours, he has his own he can play with). Now, if he is going for something like the tv or an outlet, then we immediately move him away after saying no-no ouchy. If he goes back towards it again, then he gets a smack on the hand when he reaches for it and then moved away again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mommy to Jacob