Before my son was a year old we discovered that redirection worked well for him. In addition to telling him not to touch the DVD player, we would pick him up and plop him down in front of another toy. After awhile he finally quit heading for the DVD player. In the two years following, he has pretty consistently found interests, words, or objects that we discourage him from through redirection.
Apparently he feels it is a worthy technique.
Recently if I have started singing a song he doesn't care for he'll say, "Mommy, I don't love that song." Then he'll start singing a different song that he knows we both like. He did it a couple of times before I realized I was being redirected into his preferred behavior. He also uses it for leading our book reading and play time.
I tend to heap affirmation on him when he does something well and when he follows instructions. I don't tell him he rocks when he doesn't, because I want those words to mean something. Fortunately he's awesome a lot, so he gets to hear it a lot. In the past few months when I have done something well, my sweet boy is quick to affirm me. It really is the sweetest thing.
I'm so glad we don't hit him or yell at him.
Who knew your parenting could come back at you so fast? My little man is but three years old, yet I am already being subjected to my own teachings.
copyright (c) Elizabeth, Bug's Beef. All rights reserved.
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