How to Discipline a 1 Year Old: Put Your Kid on the Right Path

Rex Forehand famously says (we paraphrase it), “It is the environment that shapes up your kid’s discipline. What they do builds up the bulk of who they become. Punishing in itself is not the solution, but putting on the right path is.” Developing child discipline in their early years isn’t a child’s play as their ability to reason and communicate is pretty limited. Also, toddlers are not rational thinkers, and at the same time, they have very little self-control, if any.

If you have a discipline 1 year old child challenge, you need not worry anymore. In this article, we bring you all the ideas on keeping your young one in line without having to portray it as punishment.

We all understand when our little ones misbehave, but that doesn’t mean that we ignore their bad behavior. The importance of disciplining a 1 year old is that they’ll know that it is right and wrong from an early age.

If you are stuck on how to discipline a one year old, we bring you ways to do it right and effectively.

Create Boundaries and keep them

Your toddler’s adventurous spirit may lead them astray, and that’s where setting boundaries comes in play. Boundaries will keep the baby safe, but it will also help them know what’s acceptable and not.

Distraction and Redirecting

Distracting and redirecting also have a big play on how to discipline a 1 year old. If your child is handling some forbidden object, then you could replace it with the acceptable one. Also, you could distract the child with things such as humor or change of environment.

Shape their Behavior

No matter how worked up you are with your toddler’s behavior, always be polite and calm as you correct them. In return, the baby is likely to listen to you quietly as well. Also, don’t break the rules on behaviors that you have set for them.

Work on Validation of Feelings

As grown-ups, there are things we are forced to do as much as we might not enjoy doing them. Same way for our little ones, we need to train them to engage in useful activities they don’t want as much as we understand that they don’t like them.

Talk down bad Behavior, Praise good Deeds

Another way for discipline for 1 year old is to ignore/discourage bad behavior and praising the good. If you don’t want some bad behavior to continue with your kids, avoid applauding it by laughing or smiling. On the other hand, always provide instant praise for acceptable behaviors.

Be good at anticipating Problems

Anticipating problems is also another answer on how do you discipline a one year old. It’s evident that your one year old will have tantrums regularly; hence it shouldn’t be a surprise to you. In such instances, avoid losing control or reason with the child because it’s the last thing that will work. Being calm will enable you to figure out what’s frustrating the child pretty fast.

“No” is a Powerful Tool- use it

The use of a stern ‘No’ is also an essential aspect of how to discipline a 1 year old. It is quite powerful, and it can be used to indicate danger. Note that a ‘No’ that’s used sternly does more than a soft one regularly.

Stay on Course and remain Consistent

Another critical aspect of child safety at home is consistency. If you set some rules, ensure that you are consistent in seeing them adhered to. In case of any changes, don’t forget to give your young one some warnings about the transitions.

Set Irreducible Minimums

According to research by a clinical professor at the University of California, parents should never pick battles they cannot win. As much as we place limits for safety, children also need space to explore. However, don’t forget to set the non-negotiable limits.

Don’t go for Perfection

At the age of one, your baby doesn’t have the same self-control as you. Hence, you will need to keep reminding them of the rules now and then.

When used, several tactics may end up with some bad habits or even result in child violence. Below are some of the discipline tactics to avoid with your one year old.

• Spanking – though spanking is widely used as a disciplinary action for toddlers, it is not an effective tactic. In fact, research has it that it could lead to mental problems.
• Shouting – shouting only makes the child fear and not be able to adhere to acceptable behavior.
• Bribery – giving your baby their favorite food or toy to stop them from being unruly teaches them that it’s appropriate to misbehave to get a reward.
• Hurtful Words – using hurtful words towards your child will only erode their self-esteem other than cultivating discipline.

You might assume that disciplining your 1 year old sounds harsh. It’s not. With the above guidelines, you now know that disciplining your young one isn’t necessarily punishing the child. Your baby at age 1 will be discovering and exploring new things and, it’s also the best time to plant a moral compass in their life.