I've read that somewhere between the ages of 8 and 12 months, most babies start to understand the meaning of words like "No" and "Don't touch." In a way, the hard part of parenting begins now--when I have to start teaching this new human being that his world is far more limited than he thinks.
But the hard part isn't really saying "No." (The world is limited--but let's face it, limits make life more interesting.) It's saying "No" in a way that implies, "That's right, you can't do that--but isn't it great that you want to?" Even when he's tried to bite through the cords on the Playstation for the hundredth time, I should be able to say "No" in an encouraging, loving way. We'll see.
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