Child Guidance: Discipline and Safety

Your baby has lots of energy. It seems as if he is constantly on the move. You may need extra patience to keep up with him. Your baby is starting to get into things, some of which you may not want him to have. Because everything he picks up goes into his mouth, it’s time to think about safety.

Babies under 1 year old are too young to understand why they should stop doing something. Your baby may love to throw toys on the floor. He likes to hear the noise and watch the toys bounce. To him, it’s a game. Your baby doesn’t drop things to annoy or “test” you. He's learning where things go when they are dropped.

Baby proof your house as a form of child guidance. It will simplify your life if you take time to do it now. Read all about baby proofing your house later in the newsletter.

Your baby needs and wants to explore. So it makes sense to baby proof your house, rather than having to follow him around saying no to everything he does. That approach is exhausting for you and demoralizing for your baby.

Another form of child guidance is redirection. This means moving your baby away from a hazard, such as a lamp cord, and moving him to a safe place.

You can also use substitution as a way to guide your baby. Interest your baby in something he can play with. For example, find a different drawer in the kitchen that is OK for your baby to empty. Then gently remove the thing you don’t want him to have. As you take it away, say something like, “This could hurt you."

Do not slap your baby’s hands or yell at him. Your baby can’t control his behavior yet. If you spank him, he learns that it is OK to hit. It’s up to you to keep him out of danger, not to punish him for getting into it.

If you can strike a balance between setting limits, providing loving care, and having a sense of humor, you will help your baby grow up with a good head on his shoulders.