Following up on yesterday's post--I do see my son chafing against some of my rules and restrictions: not playing with the utensil holder in the dishwasher, for instance, or not touching the electronic control buttons for the oven--whenever he does those things, I tell him "No," unequivocally, pick him up, and put him down on the rug in the corner. What surprises me is his reaction--he knows so clearly that he did something wrong that he waves his hands in the air and cries out in a special way. This is very recent behavior. While he's chafing against those restrictions, I think he's also, in a strange way, expecting me to do something about his transgressions--expecting me to hold him back, even. And whenever I can, I catch him before he's actually touched the utensils or the button on the oven, look at him and shake my finger--and he usually walks away. When that happens I try to lavish him with praise.
I guess I'm surprised that even at his age, discipline is such an important element of our relationship, and that he often reacts so favorably to it. But I have learned that it's also very important not to keep saying "No" all the time--to find more creative and positive ways to handle problem behaviors, whenever possible. I'm more convinced than ever that at any age, a child will soak up as much love as you can give them, even when it comes in the form of some firm (but mostly positive) discipline.
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