My 1 year old is testing me?

Question

Ok. I have a one year old little boy. He is the sweetest little fella, but lately I feel like he has been testing me. His latest thing is hitting my parents big screen TV. Now he knows he is not suppose to do this and every time he does I tell him no and take him away from the TV. Then he starts to think its a game. He actually turns around to make sure I am looking before hitting the TV. Anyway, I know I need to be consistent with telling him No and I am, but it doesn't seem to have much of an effect. Any tips. I know when he gets older I can do time out, but right now I would have to glue him to the chair to get him to sit there by himself, its just not possible. SO any tips would be appreciated. Thank you.

Answer 1

your right he is testing you, but it sounds like you are doing the right thing, just make sure you remain firm. Don't give in and don't laugh if he does something cute at the same time. My daughter will be 2 next week and time outs are just starting to work for her now. I agree it's tough to punish them at that age they just don't understand and then if your like me you feel bad if your disapline makes them cry. Good luck and hang in there because I think things get worse before they get better. I can't wait till my daughter grows out of this terrible two stage, but I also have a 4 month old so when my first one grows out of it the second one will be starting! LOL

Answer 2

Actually 1yrs old isnt too young for a "time out" sort of thing. Its more of a quiet time than a time out in a chair. Put him in a different room for a little bit. You are right that he is testing you. Not to see if you'll get mad but to see your reaction. Maybe you can distract him everytime he does it, dont show him that you noticed, just go up to him and say something like "Lets go play with your toys in the play room" And if it doesnt work just dont let him near the tv alone, especially a big screen tv, thats a little scary to have a one yr old hitting it, what if it fell over? Well Good Luck! and have fun with your little fella

Answer 3

Yes, he is testing you because that's what 1-year-old children do. It's difficult, but children this age need even more close supervision than they ever have in the preceding months. It's not to early to start time outs. You have to be consistent, have reason for the timeout and actually make it a punishment -- no laughing or talking while you do it. I started timeouts with my son at about a year. The worst thing for little kids is to be taken away from the "action" and given a break. My son is 21 months now and knows timeout means business and he does very well with them. For the first few timeouts, I had to basically sit next to him or stand in the hall near his timeout spot. Had to keep putting him back. You can go a minute for every year of the child's age. I'd encourage you to try it. Good luck.

Answer 4

You can do time out now. Let him sit in time out for about 20 seconds to a minute. Sit with him and remind him why he's there. If you choose not to do time out, then try taking a toy each time he does it. Be stern with the no and might even keep him out of the room where the TV is. I've tried all these with my 3 and some combination always worked. Yes, he's testing mom to see if she will hold her ground. You have to, it sets the precedent and he will know he can get away with being bad.

Answer 5

I had the same situation with my son at that age, I fortunatly had a smaller object to deal with.. I ended up putting it up and out of his way.. A television is a little harder to move around, I would put a complication in front of the tv.. I would use anything I could in the house that would prevent him from getting close enough to the tv for him touch it.. or put a gate on the living room (im guessing) door.. and do not allow him in the room.. after he has not listened at least 2... and then basically kick him out of the room. He will soon learn that he would rather hang out with everyone than be alone.

Answer 6

I know this is really difficult. You might have to start the time out business but make him sit on your lap or right next to you. Talk to him and explain in the simplest terms that he can not do this or he will be in trouble and won't be able to watch the TV if he can't treat it right. Don't underestimate how much he'll be able to understand because they do understand more than we give them credit for. If you can help him to register that time out is not a good thing he will eventually understand he did something wrong. Good luck and try to stay calm while you're correcting him.

Answer 7

He probably wants you to put on the Teletubbies or something along those lines. For damage control clean the screen every time he does it so your folks won't get mad. Make a point of consistently watching a kiddie show with him for about half an hour befroe lunch. Make a big deal of him and the show. He's playing with you and communicating. You're probably a big part of his life right now.

Answer 8

if you believe in spanking do that and tell him No and why he cant hit the TV, no isn't working because that is all you are doing, you can pop his hand, or his bottom and tell him that if he does it again then he will get popped again

i have a 18month old and she is a little slower then normal children, the in way that she cant talk yet, just started walking( she has been in and ou the hospital for heart problems so it is excepted with her to be a little slower) but anyways, i have never put my children in a play pen or pak-in-play to play in, then have always had freedom to play where ever they wanted basically, my 3 year old will stand in the corner if she gets in trouble because she understands that if she leaves the corner she will get in more trouble but my 18 month old have to pop her a couple times ands if she still does it i have to put her in time out in the play pen so she cant get out

but if you use the play-pen for him to play in this wont work because he sees it as play time and not in trouble.

Answer 9

At that age I found that telling them "no" AND preventing the behavior did the trick. Play with him in another room, set up a baby gate so he can't get to the TV, etc. He will grow out of it one day and you'll just be able to tell him "no". He's at the age where everything needs to be baby-proofed.

Answer 10

If he's to the point where he is looking back to make sure you're watching probably ingoring his behavior would cause him to stop doing it. As long as he's not really going to break it then he probably will just quit eventually. I have a 3 yr old boy and he used to do the same type thing...