How do you discipline your LO?

[Jade--x]

My little boy is 2 in 2 weeks..And as all 2 year olds do he's going through the 'I will rebel and be naughty and do everything I know I shouldn't' stage..Which all the crap he's having to go through seeing his sperm donor is making so much worse.

Just wondered how everyone else is disciplining their LO?

When they play with plug sockets or put things in the DVD player and wii console..Or are throwing the cat around the room

I've tried the naughty chair..I've tried time out..I've tried moving him and telling him it's naughty..I've tried the 'play prison' (the travel cot that he hates going in and we call it the play prison where he has 5 minutes time out) but nothing seems to be working within 5 minutes of him coming off or out of them..He's back taking the socket covers off the plugs again.

 

[XKatX]

I could have written this myself!! And I spoke to a friend today with a child the same age, and she asked if I'd been a fly on the wall in her house!!

Neither of us came up with any answers really (except "it's a phase", which doesn't really help!). i am at a loss and my husband isn't handling it at all. All I keep hearing from the older generation is "a quick sharp slap to the back of the thighs" - not a cat in hells chance that my boy is getting walloped round the legs! Especially since we're trying to stop him from hitting at the moment. Thats really going to help isn't it!!

anyway, the upshot is, sorry, can't help!! But will watch your thread with baited breath to see what they come up with!

 

[kiwimama]

We use times outs and they work well for us.
If he's going back to the naughty behaviour after 5 minutes, give him a warning that if he doesn't stop it, he will go back to time out. Then if it continues, put him back in. He'll learn eventually that he'll just keep going back until he stops the behaviour. It's all about consistancy, which is hard when you are in the midst of a meltdown but will prove most effective in the long run.

 

[Jade--x]

I've done the warnings and then putting him back and I'm not exaggerating that you can do it again and again for an hour and it changes nothing. My mum's tried aswell and nothings working. He's really testing boundries at the minute seeing just how far he can push I think. Most things I can handle but he's too smart for his own good.

I've never met another 2 year old that can open the stair gates..And open the cupboard locks..And take out the socket covers and put proper plugs in..You need eyes in your bum with him to be honest lol.

I'm just hoping the phase ends before June or I'm really going to have my hands full

 

[sophiew]

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[Lu28]

I think Aisling is too young to really appreciate the concept of a time out so for the moment we're ignoring bad behaviour (after stopping it but ignoring the resulting tantrum) and explaining why it's not acceptable. I've just bought Dr Sears Good Behaviour book so need to read that to figure out our strategies

 

[redpoppy]

I just ordered toddler taming after it being heavily recommended on this forum on one of the threads. Got it from eBay for about £3! Anyway only read about 70 pages so far but it seems really good. I have no idea what will work as mine's only 13 monthish but it sounds really sensible and middle of the road. Not too strict, not too soft just reasonable. He also explains the stages they go through at what ages and how they have short attention spans and aren't malicious but just have very little sense and control of their impulses. I've just started reading the discipline bit but going to bed now. So far I think it said positive reinforcement, ignoring negative behaviour and distraction but I think there are more as I stopped half way through.... might be worth a read? Best of luck. Mine is just beginning to tantrum and it's making me scared! Can imagine it's unbelievably worse when the terrible twos kick in in full force! Best of luck! I think somewhere around 2.5 years the second stage starts which is marginally better than this one. Although 6 months seems like a long way from where I am!

 

[redpoppy]

Just wanted to add that naughty step is recommended for kids of "about three" as most kids don't have the capacity to understand what is going on before that.

 

[Always&4ever]

Time outs & the naughty corner, or we take a toy away.

 

[pictureperfect]

Chloe is just getting to that stage, I usually sit her on the step and take away whichever toy she is playing with, if she is watching something on tv I turn it off or if she has her dummy [usually if she is just about to go to bed] I take that off her - I found the naughty step alone did nothing as she didn't really understand it and just either stood up and ran away or laughed in my face.

Also my hv told me not to say too much, as after you have said one sentance they switch off so theres no point at this age in giving them a talking to - just say no thats naughty or no we don't do that etc etc instead of going into too much detail... that seems to of helped me - now the only problem I have is I sit her there, take whatever it is that she is playing with away and she immediately says sorry and is trying to kiss me - soooooo cute.......aaaaggggghhhh!!!

Good luck x

 

[Ratty]

Naughty Step works well.

But, consider carefully where you place it ! Bedroom they have too much to look at, they shouldn't be able to see the tv etc. It must be a spot where all they have to look at is the wall.

Put them on it, explain why and then ignore them.

I found with my son, explaining why I didn't want him to do things helped. Like the oven (was his favourite). I told him its hot hot hot and if he touches it and burns himself, then I will have to take him to the hospital so the doctors can make it better.

 

[andbabymakes3]

I have the Dr Sears book too and what I've read so far I really like. I found this article really interesting https://www.askdrsears.com/html/6/T061100.asp

(Although there are times when she does things again and again and again and I'm tired and distracted and stressed and I just want to scream at the top of my lungs 'STOP IT')

Distraction does work really well with Holly - saying no has no impact whatsobloodyever on her. I tend to explain quickly why she shouldn't do what she is doing and then try to engage her in something else. We tried time outs for a little while but it wasn't very effective (I think she's too little to get it tbh).

 

[mama2b]

I think I must of been quite lucky with Lucas so far as he doesn't really do many naughty things BUT when he does I usually just say No in a stern voice (Sometimes several times!) and he will either stop what he is doing or cry/scream. I then let him cry it out (usally about a minute) then distract him with a game toy, whatever and then its usually over and done with.

Also if he is doing something that he shouldn't be like hitting the keys on my laptop then I will tell him that if he does it again I will turn TV off or something to that effect and I stick to it. He knows that if I say I will do it, then I will.

My friend is always telling her daughter she can't do this or that for being naughty but lets her do it anyway. Like saying she can't go to park, playcentre etc but still takes her so I think she knows that whatever she does wrong it will go unpunished.