Consequences for a 12 mo old

My DD is already somtimes throwing fits, screaming, and some times defiant when she wants to do what she isn't supposed to. Over all she is a good child but very opinionated(has been from day 1). Our house is very kid friendly but TV/VCR is a no-no. She has always known this. lately she is touching it and looking at me like I know I sholdn't but I can if I want to. I always take of off and explain what she can't do and give her something else to do. For the first time yesterday I put her in the corner after doing it 3 times. She even went back 2 more times so she went in the corner twice. I stood with her the whole 30 sec or so and explained over and ove that she can't touch the TV and she needs to listen or she will have to stand in the corner. I dont' kwno how effective this is at 12 mo but I don't know waht else to do. Any ideas of other consequences. She is smart and understands almost everything we say and know what the rule is. But I have a feelign some new tactics would be helpful very soon.

 

She's still pretty young and I don't think at this age they really get it yet. Just be consistent in your actions and eventually she will get it. It's frustrating to keep repeating and unfortunately you will have a lot of it over the next year (she sounds exactly like one of mine!!).

 

She's 12 months old. She is not going to understand an explanation as to why she cannot touch the TV. You can either - 1) Come up with a way to block access to the TV controls, or 2) Go crazy for the next 6 months or so until they start having a little more impulse control. She does NOT understand right from wrong, and does not understand rules yet. The reason she is looking at you when she touches is the TV is because she gets a reaction. When you redirect, just give a firm "No", pick her up and try to interest her in something else, no more talking than that.

I went nuts with the water cooler, they would not leave it alone, and I had no good way to block access. We just spent as little time in that room as possible.

 

I agree. Just keep being consistent and it will pay off. I can remember lots of times with my girls it just seemed like I was just a broken record, but eventually they did get it, and my girls really listen well now. Like Kelly said, just keep redirecting her and telling her no. Hang in there, she'll get it!!

 

Honestly, she's too young to understand. I'd just put your electronics in a cabinet with a lock for the time being, or find some way to block them. When she's older she'll be able to understand. Right now she's just a curious little toddler who is learning through exploring - buttons are so appealing to toddlers!

 

There's no way a baby that age can be "defiant." She's not trying to piss you off, she's just curious and exploring. Her reaction to you is probably just enjoyment of the extra attention she's getting for messing with those things.

Ditto pps. If at all possible, block access to those things. They make a clear plastic cover you can put over the front of a VCR/DVD player to block the buttons. And maybe you could give her something similar that she IS allowed to play with - an old remote with no batteries, for example.

 

I'm sorry but I have to politely disagree with some of the other pps.

I do think she's doing it for a reaction. We had the exact same thing happening in our house with the fireplace screen. It is bolted to the wall, so it wasn't dangerous, but I didn't want them touching it. The fireplace is in their play area, so I couldn't remove it. And I have no doubt Breena did it to get my attention.

What I did - and it worked for us - was give her one firm, non-emotional no and gave her something else to do and then ignored her. If she touched it again, I said only "no" again, picked her up and put her in the pack n play for one minute, and since she was safe - ignored her for that minute. After the minute, I took her out and gave her something else to play with. I think it took 2 days of doing this consistently and she doesn't even look at it now. There was no discussion...just a couple nos and that was it.

I DO think that they starting to understand consequences to some degree. Mine know that doing one thing (like crying) makes Mommy do this (pick me up) and so on.