Discipline: Keeping Calm (1028)

When baby is pulling leaves off your favorite plant one by one or smearing cereal in his hair, it's hard to stay calm. Keep these things in mind: If tempting things like plants or wastebaskets are left in baby's reach, she will explore them. The easiest way to stay calm and to keep baby out of trouble is to put things where she can't get to them.

Small babies do things that are upsetting to you, but they don't do them on purpose to annoy you.

Feeding babies is messy. They like to help feed themselves, and this is how they learn. You can reduce the mess by letting baby learn with less-messy foods. Feed only as much as you're willing to pick up off the floor at a time. Try giving him two cubes of cheese. When baby finishes, give two more.

Remember, baby does not drop food to upset you, he is just learning where things go when they fall. When baby bangs toys together again and again, it's because she likes the noise they make. If it gets on your nerves, give her a quiet toy and take the noisy ones away.

For more information on this subject, Please visit the College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Web site.

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