When can you start to discipline?

[AnimalBabe]

Our son is 11 mos old and has recently started slapping me and his father when we hold him. Obviously he is not intending to do harm, I feel it is just playful. However, my husband thinks he is testing us and that we need to say no and grab his hand when he does this. I have found that doesn't work, and instead I have tried to say no (gently but firmly) and then put him down. However, he tends to slap pretty hard while I'm breastfeeding him (and has even poked me in the eye a few times) and I can't put him down then. I also don't think he's really "getting it" no matter what we do.

Is it too early to discipline him at all? I read you could really only use distraction at this point. For example, he loves to pull the cat's tails, so we say no and then move him to another location. However, he has a voracious desire to crawl right back to them and do it again! He also screams when my husband tries to feed him in the high chair because he would rather be chasing the cats or moving about. Any suggestions? I don't want to overuse the word "no" as well and though it makes him pause, it doesn't deter him. At what age do you start enforcing rules or trying to correct bad behavior?

[bubbaray]

I focused on redirecting at that age (up to about age 2 or 2.5).

HOWEVER, I have zero tolerance for hitting or biting while BFg. When my girls did that, I dislodged them and put them down, mid-feed. They quickly learned not to hit or bite mommy.

As for the pets, if redirecting him doesn't work, I would move the cats to an area of the house he can't get to. Its not fair to the cats to have a baby constantly pulling at them.

[BabyBearsMom]

At 11 months, you can't discipline as in send them to time out etc. IMO. At that age, I redirect for 99% of things. But if it is hitting or biting, I firmly took her hand away and say "No Hit, DD's Name" or "No bite, DD's Name." Not softly or in a sing song way, but not yelling either. If we were playing, I would put her down and walk a few feet away from her and do something else for a few minutes. I never yell and I never do anything to hurt her, but I stay very firm about it and react consistently to it every time. I don't nurse anymore, but if i did, I would probably pop her off for a few minutes if she hit and then let her get back to it.

[brittone2]

Well, discipline technically means to teach. So yes, you can start teaching your child, but it is too early for a formal time out, etc. Putting him down when he hits is appropriate. It takes time for them to make the connection between their action and your response. THis would be the case no matter what discipline approach you take.

With the cats, I'd keep them in another room or keep him gated and away from the cats. It keeps everyone safe, and you have then established a boundary. WHen you can be with him, show him how to give gentle touches/pats to the cats, but expect it will take time for him to learn how to do that reliably.

At that age, it is exhausting no matter what approach you take, and it will take repetition, repetition, repetition until DC learns what you are trying to teach. And then a new challenge will pop up. And it goes like that for...well...a long time :D

This site might be helpful:
http://goybparenting.com/?page_id=54