Age 1
No!
“No!” and “I do it!” are signs that your child is growing. During this important time when your child’s ego is emerging, try to accept their naively strong self-assertions.
Does your child say . . .
- “No!” at mealtime, even though they should be hungry?
- “No!” at bedtime, even though they should be tired?
- “No!” when you try to hold their hand to go for a walk, even though they always loved going for walks?
Are you at a loss for what to do when your child says “No!” to everything?
Why does my child say “No!” to everything？
When your child says “No!” what they really means is, “I’m not a baby anymore. I don’t want to do whatever grown-ups say!”
But even though your child feels that they are ready to do things on their own, there are still many things they can’t do.
What should I do？
When your child won’t listen to anything you say . . .
Try doing something else to change their mood—and yours!- When your child tries to do something on her own that’s too hard . . .
It doesn’t matter if they can do it or not.
Let her try. Once they are satisfied, they will stop protesting.
If they wasn’t able to do it well, ask them nicely, “Did you want to _______?”
Your child will feel comforted because you understood her feelings.
Advice
If your child still says “No!” . . .
- Give them a chance to make a decision by saying, “Do you want to _______ or _______?”
- Don’t give in if your child wants to do something dangerous or socially unacceptable. Make the rules clear and don’t budge.