How to stop being beamed in the head by toys.

[BabyMine]

DS2 has a really good throwing arm. The problem is that he also has good aim. He pegs me all the time with whatever he has in his hands. He doesn't throw food on floor just toys at me. I have tried redirection and showing him what he can throw. I gently tell him that he can throw a ball and I give him a ball and praise him when he throws it. Apparently, I have first child amnesia becasue I don't know how I handled it with him.

[lizzywednesday]

My mom's standby was "use it as a weapon; I take it away." (She also wasn't afraid of the fits we might throw when she followed through.)

IDK if that will work for you and your parenting style, but it worked for Mom for a while.

[Jen841]

Thrown items would end up on top of the frig. I could have some gathering dust up there.

[BabyMine]

Does a 13 month old realize why his toy is being taken away?

[slworld]

I posted a simlar question about a month ago (DS was ~14months old then). Received only 1 response but here is the thread.

http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=333913

We have been doing - taking away the toy, redirection, firm NO. I think if you follow something consistently they may understand that for this action (throwing toy at someone) this is the consequence (toy disappears). Of course they are probabaly too young to really care about a particular toy and may just move onto another one but its more like action/consequence than punishment. I think its a development phase where they are trying to see how you react when they do something. DS still sometimes throws stuff at us but it is definitely not as bad as a month ago (anytime he had someting in his hand, he would throw it at us). HTH!

[lizzywednesday]

Does a 13 month old realize why his toy is being taken away?

Maybe you could use another term than "weapon" that would be easier for him to understand?

Something like ... You threw your toy and it hurt Mommy on her head. This is not a game. We don't hurt in our house. ... ?

[vonfirmath]

A 13-month old can remember where you hid the treat. So if you do it consistently, I think they can remember the cause and effect, yes. But it has to be done immediately.

[BabyMine]

Thank-you all for the replies. I'll just keep redirecting and taking away the toys that are thrown.

[dcmom2b3]

I know it's frustrating behavior, but can I say I'm in AWE of a 13 mo who has that kind of arm. That's really cool. Until you're the one being hit with the bean balls.

Could part of your redirection strategy include giving him something to throw *at* as well? Don't know if rolling is as satisfying as throwing, but we have a baby bowling game that DD had fun with at that age. Also don't know how you feel about throwing balls in the house, but I'd be tempted to put a peice of posterboard on the wall with a "strike zone" painted on it and re-direct him to that. With lots of praise and excitement for pitching "strikes."

[BabyMine]

I know it's frustrating behavior, but can I say I'm in AWE of a 13 mo who has that kind of arm. That's really cool. Until you're the one being hit with the bean balls.

Could part of your redirection strategy include giving him something to throw *at* as well? Don't know if rolling is as satisfying as throwing, but we have a baby bowling game that DD had fun with at that age. Also don't know how you feel about throwing balls in the house, but I'd be tempted to put a peice of posterboard on the wall with a "strike zone" painted on it and re-direct him to that. With lots of praise and excitement for pitching "strikes."

We have a room that we allow balls to be thrown. DS2 watches DS1 throw balls all the time but he doesn't understand that it is just balls that he is throwing. He can not only aim toys he kicks balls. He is learning way to much from DS1. We have the bowling ball game but he kept taking the pins and kept hitting me with them. We had to put it away.