Reaction to discipline

amother

Wed, Aug 22 2007, 9:50 am

My 2 yr old has really been testing lately and doing things he knows he shouldnt. One big one is any time I put the baby to sleep (and I dont think he does it intentionally. He just doesnt realize, but we've gone through this a million times...) he suddenly comes right up to me and babbles and babbles and laughs really loud at anything he could think of. The baby is very sensitive to sound and jumps and screams anytime the older one laughs like that (really loud etc). So I tell him to please not laugh so loud (its not a natural laugh.... its more attention getting. But I feel bad... I konw when I was little I didnt like how ppl disciplined me and I felt so hurt. My mom always says how sensitive I was but I didnt feel that. I just felt she wasnt senstive with how she spoke to me. now when I discipline him he closes his eyes, sometimes covers them, and very often walks off to his bed (which he uses as his safe haven for everything... when he needs to make in his diaper and wants privacy, when he needs to calm down etc), and just as of today has been closing his door. I feel bad... I dont know how else I should discipline him. I basically just show him when the baby starts crying... and I tell him I like when he laughs but please not to do it so loud in the baby's ear when he's falling asleep. Help?? I dont want him to be insulted but I feel like a broken CD player (records are antique!)

happymom

Wed, Aug 22 2007, 8:18 pm

dont tell him what u dont want him to do or what he did wrong, tell him it in a positive way. tell him what you would LIKE him to do and how proud youll be of him if he does xyz. sometimes, u dont even need to mention that at all, u can just divert his attention. for example, if he comes into the room blabbering when ure baby needs to sleep, say, hey, want to play with playdough by your table, watch a video, colorm, look at a book quietly enxt to me etc..... and then u dont even need to dicipline cuz there will be no need.

instead of telling him not to laugh, speak to him in a whisper, say, "lets tell secrets, ill tell u one first. or lets see who can talk the quietest, whoever doest gets a prize... u can make it a game at times.