March 29th, 2011
Question:
My son has started this horrible habit of pinching my face when I take something away from him and we’re out in public. I’m not a spanker and I would be afraid that someone would call child services on me anyway. I usually put him in time out when he acts up and it works really well at home. The problem is that I am at a loss when we are in a restaurant or Walmart or something like that. I sternly tell him no and that it gives mommy a boo boo. I know it’s a phase and that he picked it up from a little boy at his daycare, but I want to nip it in the bud before it escalates or he really hurts me or someone else. Please any advice would really help.
I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be confusing. I am usually holding him because he is getting into something and he reaches up and grabs my face. I can’t place him in the cart because he immediately climbs over and tries to get out. The buckle on the cart can’t hold him down. Also, I want to hold his hand but he recently had a case of nursemaid’s elbow (the elbow separated slightly when he pulled away from me) and I have a huge fear it will happen again when I try to hold him back by the hand. I am really considering getting a harness, it’s the only way I can see keeping him out of trouble without risking his elbow coming out of the socket again. Thanks again.
Posted in Discipline Advice | 9 Comments »
March 27th, 2011
Question:
My cousin is a single mom and has a five year old daughter, only child. She behaves well in school and is smart. However, as I only visit a couple times a month and only speak to my cousin on the phone a couple times a month, I’ve noticed a disturbing pattern…her daughter frequently misbehaves to get attention. She rarely plays alone. They even sleep in the same room with their beds pushed together. I frequently tell her that when she interrupts her mom that it is rude to her mother and to whomever she is talking to at the time. She refuses to go to bed alone and will throw a tantrum if you put her back to bed. She will push her mom to the limits until she gets a spanking. My poor cousin meanwhile has tried everything from being nice and understanding, to time outs, ignoring, etc. If all else fails and patience has been broken, my cousin will spank and she will feel awful about it afterwards. I want to give her advice but I don’t know what to tell her. I realize she may have created part of the problem by their sleeping arrangement, but that doesn’t excuse her need for constant attention. Help me help them!!
Posted in Discipline Advice | 14 Comments »
March 26th, 2011
Question:
She is just beginning to be a little defiant sometimes (slapping bottle or hands away in dissatisfaction, fussing if i have things to do instead of play, fighting her diaper being changed, etc.). Is she still to young to lay down the law? I do tell her no & she chills out a bit. This is my only child & I am clueless about normal baby behavior versus open defiance. Just need some motherly advice.
I meant that SHE slaps my hands. I have never hit her.
And she is 8 months old. She cannot talk or stand in a dam corner. She isn’t even crawling yet. Please only answer if you have kids.
Posted in Discipline Advice | 10 Comments »
March 25th, 2011
Question:
My son is one and a half and he is getting to the point he doesn’t want to listen. He loves to stand on our couch and jump, and other things. We have tried spanking and now he just mocks us and after we spank he spanks himself and laughs we have tried time-out but he is soooo active that he just keeps getting down and the only way to keep him sitting is by standing there at the chair. The time-out also doesn’t seem to have any effect on him. I am now 11 weeks pregnant with our second child of course he doesn’t understand but I don’t want him acting like this when we have another baby and he has always listened very well until now. Any advice. I stay home with him all day so it’s nothing that anybody else is doing. Please help!! Thanks.
Okay I can’t ignore my son b/c he is jumping on the couch and he is going to fall and hurt himself.
I do believe in spanking it has worked for centuries. It has always worked before now and sometimes when we tell him we are going to spank he will listen and sometimes he doesn’t. Most of the attitude comes from being tired and he won’t take a nap.
Posted in Discipline Advice | 13 Comments »
March 23rd, 2011
Question:
My daughter this morning was being silly and hit my foot with one of her toys, she showed concern when I said that it hurt, and I asked her to say sorry to mummy, but she refused, she is nearly three and understands what I am asking her to do, so she is sitting on her time out square in the kitchen until she says sorry, am I going too far with this? she has been misbehaving a lot since I had my second daughter, and I really dont want to have an uncontrollable and naughty child. I’m not angry at her for hurting my foot, i’m not actually angry at all, I just want to push the point that if she hurts someone she must say sorry, any advice or help?
how long should I keep asking her to say sorry? and what if she just doesn’t say it??
Posted in Discipline Advice | 5 Comments »
March 22nd, 2011
Question:
I was abused as a child and for plenty of other reasons, but anyways I’m pretty much against spanking… when i ask my sisters for advice they just say “spank” even though their kids arent that well behaved and in my opinion their spanking isn’t working. ANyways… my oldest is 7- almost 8 and lately for whatever reason she is getting uncontrollable. She will flip out over little things- and blames everything on me. My problem is that she will argue with me and she has started to scream and throw fits and will fall on the floor. I don’t know how to get control of this situation when it happens. I try to ignore her- but my mom says that is the wrong thing to do. I think by ignoring the behavior it’s just confirming when I tell her that I’m not going to talk to her until she gets some control of herself. Everyone else thinks i need to just spank her and that’s that. Obviously i’m not comfy with spanking- but don’t know what else too do. I feel like she is out of control
And I honestly just don’t know how to handle these situations anymore. Last week one day this happened- and i kept telling her i wasnt going to talk to her when she was acting that way and she got more upset and ended up getting so upset from arguing back and forth she had a bad athsma attack and i had to call 911. I’m in desperate need of some advice and some suggestions! thanks so much in advance.
I am asking for advice because I believe it’s never too late… since when is 8 years old too late to modify a childs behavior? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? you need a good lesson in child psychology. Thanks to those of you who are actually giving some decent advice and not jsut throwing out one-liners./
Posted in Discipline Advice | 7 Comments »
March 21st, 2011
Question:
Okay My son is a very honary little guy and he gets into things that he knows he’s not supposed to. And when I get up to stop him he smiles and laughs. Then I put him in timeout, 2 mins bc he’s only 2, and soon as I walk away from him he’s up again. So I put him back in time out, and this process goes on and on until I end up giving up. I’ve also tried smacking his hands, or whipping his bottom if it’s something really bad, but nothing seems to work. He just yells at me “No mommy don’t hit me”. Or if I tell him to do something he’ll tell me no and repeat back whatever I told him to do. He’s a middle child so maybe it could be just wanting my attention but I think it’s more so just his stubborness. It’s crazy and so terribly frustrating, especially when I have a 3.5yr old and a 7 month old to tend to. Any ideas? All advice is greatly appreciated.
Posted in Discipline Advice | 8 Comments »
March 20th, 2011
Question:
My son is only in daycare 2 days a week. I’m home with him most of the time and he is so far an only child #2 is coming soon. SO here is my problem. He has been biting at daycare. I asked what they do about it and all they say is “No biting.” How is that supposed to be effective for a 1.5 year old? They have a policy against time outs. Not like I want them to spank him or anything but I don’t want him biting other kids and thinking its ok!
They just act like it’s no big deal and he’s just a little kid and doesn’t know any better. Well, maybe that is partially true but how will he get to the point where he DOES know better if he isn’t having any consequences.
I’d deal with it at home but like I said he doesn’t do it at home since there isn’t anyone to bite, lol! *YET* Any advice would be great! Thanks
Posted in Discipline Advice | 7 Comments »
March 19th, 2011
Question:
We had a really tough day today. All those little things she does really got to me. Does anyone have any advice? Here is what happens. She will do things she knows not to do and give me this mischievious look or laugh. She throws her food and sippy cup to the floor even when I tell her no SO many many times she still does it. She also enjoys hurting me. She pulls my hair, hits me in the eye with her board books, pinches, scratches. She does this for amusement it seems, not like during a fit of anger or a tantrum. When she hurts me, I tell her no hitting hurts mommie, I say it in a mean voice with a mean face so she knows I mean business. She doesn’t seem to care. My hubby is all for spanking and hand swatting but I was abused as a child and do not feel comfortable with it. Distraction does not work with her. What to do?
I thought I had read somewhere that time out is not effective at this age, but to wait till she is 2 years. I honestly do not believe she is doing this for attention! She will play fine all by herself, then I get close to her to give her a kiss, or play with her, or I ask her to name her parts (eyes, ears, hair, nose, etc). So for the most part she does this when I am already giving her attention. The no and walk away has not had any impact on the behavior–that is what I have done when she hurts me since she was like 10 mos.
Posted in Discipline Advice | 7 Comments »
March 18th, 2011
Question:
My son just recently started refusing to do things. (like take baths, sleep in his own bed) I feel so frustrated and I know I have to be a good parent through this but what do you do when your child refuses to listen to you. Do you physically force your child into the bath tub, even though you know it is going to result in an all out war? Then after refusing the bath (getting out over and over again) then what? I am not quite sure how to handle this.advice please. (I have only spanked him once around 2 when he ran for the road) I don’t believe in spanking.
Posted in Discipline Advice | 13 Comments »