Disciplining 18 Month-old

How about put him in his play yard for 2 minutes? Alone. No toys. After O. warning and you tell him "We don't pull hair. Time out for 2 minutes."

My daughter just turned 2 and she goes into Time-Out. Timeouts in our house are in the laundry room so they aren't fun. There's no tv or toys in there. I put her in there for about 1 1/2 - 2 minutes. Every problem I've had with her has been resolved by using that.

Since he's young for time outs say, "No!" and remove him from the hair-pulling or hitting incident and place him in his crib or pack n play a couple of minutes. He should soon start to associate going to his room and missing out and not getting his way with the consequence. You can also take his wrists and hold them firmly when he hits, until they relax, and look him in the eyes as you say, "No hitting." Be consistent, it may take time to sink in. Meanwhile keep encouraging him to use his words so as he learns more of them he'll know what you expect him to do with them.

In addition to some of the responses, start readying Hands are not for Hitting. It has helped with my 2 yr old. I remove him from the situation, ask him what hands are for - he says hugging and gives me a hug (he pulls my hair). I then tell him it is time to cool off, since it usually happens when he is really energetic or tired. That could be on the couch, in my lap, whatever. Good luck.

Have you tried setting him away from the girls? Like when he pulls hair, picking him up and firmly say, "No, we don't pull hair, that hurts," and setting him several feet apart and keeping him back from them for about a minute and a half (like a modified time out) and when he tries to get close tell him "no" because he pulled hair and that hurts.

Crazy as this sounds have you tugged lightly on his hair? I am not saying to pull his hair, but a lot of times kids don't understand it's attatched and hurts, so show him how when you pull on his hair it is stuck to his head. Use his hair, a dolls hair and so on. So he knows when he pulls hair it hurts your head.

You have to get angry at him :) This behavior doesn't require a discussion. He knows the mantra of "That hurts!" when he pulls hair. He is enjoying this. I bet his sisters shriek when he does it and that is FUN!!

Tell him the next time he pulls hair, he will get in trouble/get a time out/ whatever language works for you. Then, when he does it, unceremoniously pick him him and drop him away from the fun. Put him in his crib or his room. Don't make eye contact just go. When you put him down, say, "You are in trouble for pulling hair." Shut the door and walk away.

You have to make this not fun. Everything you have done so far is giving him attention.

I have never used time outs, except as described above, for any physical acting out or for screaming in anger. Both my kids learned exceptionally fast there are just some things that are not allowed at all.

You have explained the rules very lovingly to him. He DOES understand you. But he doesn't CARE!!! I am sur ehe is a lovely sweet boy, but he is enjoying this new game. Nip it now!!

just answered your other ? about sharing.

I truly believe it's time for him to learn how to behave appropriately within the family. He is not too young for time-out....it can be used effectively even at a much younger age.

I consider the "1-2-3 Magic" discipline system to be superior....& yes, it can be used with your son. There's no age limits on it! In fact, I still use it with my 15yo....& he laughs, but gets my point...which is the whole purpose of using it.

Time to be consistent, time to be in charge. If he won't sit in time-out, then make the time-out on your lap. He has to learn to abide by your wishes & commands. With my own kids & with my daycare, if someone hurts another....then they are removed from group & cannot return until time-out is completed, apologies are made/accepted, & the event discussed. & yes, at 18 months, he can say "sorry" or at least project the feeling. Peace.

I put my son in his crib. He quickly stopped pulling his sister's hair. I did this at 18 months.

In fact, I do crib TOs for all his really negative behavior. It works great.

Somtimes the only solution to hair pulling and biting is to pull hair back/bite back. I know it sounds terrible but it works. When my oldest was about 18 months old there was a little (big) boy who was a biter in our Le Leche League group. I finally had just had it with the biting, spoke to his mom, who had no remedy, and told her I had instructed my daughter to just bite him back. She was open to seeing if it would work because it had been a problem for awhile. My daughter bit him back and he never did it again! :) Your little one needs to know it hurts, then maybe he will stop.

Holding, talking, explaining, removing him to do something else or sit in your lap are all things you can do. He's really too young for punishments unless it's a 1-minute timeout.

I agree with the timeouts but I never put them in their bedrooms for timeouts. Bedrooms are their safe haven, and having to do timeouts in there makes bedtime hard. If they associate bad with bed then where is the safe place for them.

We tend to use the laudry room or make them sit at the table.

Good Luck the terrible 2's are a hectic time.