what do you do when No doesn't work

I feel like I have eliminated just about everything I own & recognize from my pre-baby days in our Living Room. It is totally a kid-zone. I don't say No often and don't want to remove even more things because there will be nothing left to say no about and I can't expect other people we visit to remove all their possessions too.

I say no to touching the mini-blind plastic adjuster bar, the plastic VCR/stereo protector we got from FirstStepAhead that prevents them from pushing buttons, standing up in the bathtub, and touching poopies.

I feel like I'm not getting anywhere. I usually say it. No touch (item) or No standing. and physically remove them from the area. 2nd time I put them in a PnP without toys or blankets. They still continue the same action, so obviously the lesson isn't learned or effective enough.

My willpower is dwindling & I'm getting really frustrated. I'm getting close to losing it. What do you do?

 

From what I understand and I am certainly no expert is that you are doing about all you can do. We constantly remove them from the situation, change rooms, take away toys and constantly redirect and give lots of praise on those rare occasions they do what you ask or ask them not to do. I know it can be so maddening it can be. :headbang:

 

I'm sorry, it is so hard!!!
All I can really say is that it will get better! I think the phase from crawling until about 16-17 months is the hardest (next to newborn sleepless nights of course!). Their level of understanding is limited, they're unsafe around everything, plus they just don't think before they act. Play is exploration at that stage. My kids have been SO much easier and fun lately. They are always reminding me and each other of rules, of course they still violate them and get time outs a few times a week, but it means something now. They can say "no bite," or "no throw" and "sorry" and give kisses, which they don't completely understand, but they certainly understand "no" and don't like me to isolate them in their cribs for a brief time out. Plus they're able to play with real toys, so they spend less time with things like outlets and drawers and fireplaces and things they shouldn't be getting into.

 

I'm in the same boat with my 15 month olds... They think no is the funniest word ever so of course when I say no they laugh and do it again. Miles will bite you as soon as look at you, and Bob will be reduced to tears if you so much as frown at him. It makes for an interesting time disciplining. But I keep telling myself that maybe with consistency it will sink in. All you can really do is keep them safe as best as you know how, and keep yourself as sane as possible. If that means taking the chairs out of the kitchen when no on is actually sitting in them so the babies don't climb onto the table, well, it's beats running back and forth into the kitchen to try to stop one while the other is off doing something else he's not supposed to do. Some day it will sink in. I hope.

 

I agree. At 15 months the only thing that would work for me is redirecting. They were too young to understand "no" and forget about time outs.


There were many time during the past year I wanted to post how much I hated this age. They got into EVERYTHING and were too young to understand. There was biting and hiting on an hourly basis. I actually posted photos of my one son with about 10 bites on his back from his brother. They all happened in less than a 12 hour period.

Then all of a sudden around 22 months it got A LOT easier. They understand what no means and time out's work.

I had no idea what would happen this year with our christmas tree. I am very suprised that it is still standing and they only seem to want to play with certain ornaments. I even decided to put my table lamps back out and they have no interest in them.

Hang in there. It will get easier. :grouphug:

 

Like others have said, at that age, redirecting was the best thing for us as well. :hug: :hug: Soon enough they'll start to really understand what "no" means but right now they might not be grasping exactly what it means. It is hard and frustrating. :hug:

 

I agree with all the other posters, for 15 month olds, you are doing everything you can. That is a frustrating age because you feel like you just need to be put on repeat all the time. I did not believe it when my kids were going through it but it does get better, be consistent and they will eventually start to listen. For us, it got progressively better from 18 months on :hug:

 

Mine are 21 months and still don't get it either - I mean, they know they're not supposed to touch it and do pretty good when i'm here, but as soon as I'm out of the room, DS makes a mad dash for it.

 

I babysit a little boy who is 18 months old and I feel like I tell him "no" at least 50 times a day! Hang in there, by 25 months old it's easier. (Easier in terms of they understand "no")

 

My pedi told me to start putting dd in "time out" in the pack and play, however, I told this to my
OT and she said they recently had a meeting where they said that until 18 months or a little older
they do not understand the concept of time out, so they don't really understand that they are there
for what they did, that's why they do it again 5 min later...
she said the best way is redircting attention and praising the child that is doing something good..
in biting..she said immediately turn the one that bits around and ignore them while paying attention
to the other. They do it for attention, and saying no to them and chasing them is attention for them.
My ds recently discovered a floor lamp- I saw him and ignored him instead of saying no, he went there
2 more time and never again... other things that I said no to, he keeps going and looking at me to see
what I say, and ofcourse smiles when I say no.

it is TOUGH!

 

Thanks everyone! I removed the plastic bars to the mini blinds today.
They have removed the plastic VCR protector 2x in the span of 1 hour today thinking it's a new toy.
I'm getting that book Magic 1-2-3...

It is going to get better, well at least different