When is the good time to teach our baby Discipline?

[anniese]

My little girl is turning 10 months old now, but she has a hot temper that she always scream and cry loudly for something that she is not satisfy with. For instance, we took away the electric cord that she wants to play, then she will cry non stop until we turn on the TV for her.
Should I just let her cry or what? I tried to let her cry and ignore her, but she just cry more seriouly.

[tt_mama]

it's never too early to teach discipline. i think people nowadays make the mistake of teaching discipline too late. you can try explaining to her why it's dangerous to play with the cord. then you can try distracting her with something else that she can play with.

does she watch tv a lot? i'm just wondering why when you took the cord away she wants the tv on...

[Neha]

i agree it is never to early to teach discipline for that matter even the concept of sharing.I often hear that he doesnt understand he is only 2 so let him play now etc.

[AussieMum]

I think this is a great question and wonder the same with my 15 month old. How far should I push the 'no' factor? I can see that when I tell her no (like standing in the bath or when she wants to play with the power point switch) that she turns to me and smiles, sometimes she goes to do this again and sometimes she just crawls away. I admit that the distraction technique often works and works well, but sometimes she has her mind set on what she wants, and distraction doesn't work. Do I really put my foot down in this situation, or is she too young to really understand?
I agree that it is never too early to begin deciplining, but I too am keen to find out when approx. do they really begin to learn right from wrong? Thanks for raising this query anniese

[Matty]

Distraction can work well for young babies, but keep in mind with discipline, that babies don't have the developmental understanding for cause and effect until 6 months.

If you are trying to "teach them" by letting them cry before this, it is a waste of time.

[geomum]

We started disciplining our daughter at around 10 months, now at 13 months she very well knows what she is not supposed do like play with laptop cord or throw something on the floor or open the garbage bin or spit out food. But few times she still goes ahead and does it anyway and we constantly have to reinforce discipline. She sometimes gives a cheeky smile maybe trying to see if we'll ignore her wrong action but we never let her get away with it. Because if we let her get away with her wrong action next time she does try to test us by crying and seeing how far she can push us till we give in.
However when she gets angry (She seldom does actually) we completely ignore her/ stay calm and she is fine after a few minutes. I think kids pick up on your emotions from the time they are babies both positive and negative, so try and see if you getting angry at her or in general is effecting her behaviour in turn making her angry.

[anniese]

Thank you all mommies for your response. As AussieMum said, I am just not sure when and how to reinforce discipline. Of course I need to tell them what is okay to be done and what is not, but how about if they just get angry and keep crying when I stop her to do something wrong and danger, and I use every method to distract her and not successful, what should I do next? Just like the case I have said, she keeps crying after I took away the cord from her, no matter what I did (carrying her, distracting her with some other toys, telling story, singing, etc), she still scream and cry, finally she stopped crying after I turn the TV on, but after I turn off the TV in 3 minutes, she cried again, then I just bring her down to take a walk. She was so happy and excited on the street, but she cried again when she came home. Finally, she cried non stop until I BF her to sleep. Sometimes I just wonder if she is spoiled already, or it's inborn personality.
I agree parents' emotions will affect her behaviour, but both my hubby and me are not those type of person who get mad easily and yell at others.
Anyways, I just hope this is a stage of growing. :P

[geomum]

Hi Anniese, perhaps that one incident your daughter was in a grumpy mood :) But I do understand it can be difficult, as I've seen it with my husband's 2 year old niece who cries non- stop for an hour or more if stopped from doing something or even if she trips and falls. I suggest just be persistent in what you tell her. I don't always stop my daughter from doing this or that just when I feel she is doing something which is harmful for her.