It may seem as if you are always telling your baby what not to do. No wonder! An 11-month-old loves her independence as she moves around and touches more things. So,discipline becomes part of your daily life. Do everything you can to make it easy for your baby to act right. Be realistic in your expectations. Babies this age are into everything. They poke, dump, lick, squeeze, toss, and climb. They are picky about food, and they splash in their cereal and milk.

Think about how your child is learning and growing. When your child sees something bright and pretty, she learns by feeling and tasting it. "Look, but don't touch" is almost meaningless at this stage. Avoid situations where you must constantly correct your child. At this age, it is easier to put your baby in situations where she can do something that is all right for her to do rather than "make her mind."

If you are in a new place, be prepared that your baby will want to explore. You will need to follow her around. It is not realistic for your baby to sit still at this age. Make your expectations clear. Let your baby know when you are unhappy with her behavior. Be sure to emphasize what behavior you are unhappy with. For example say, “Biting hurts! I can't let you bite me.”

Your baby may continue to do something wrong just to get attention. It becomes a game. She crawls to a forbidden object and turns around to look at you. You say “no,” but she reaches out to touch anyway. You get angry and say “no” again. She reaches again for the object, waiting for your “no,” and so the game goes on. Stop the game by getting your baby interested in another activity. Show her something she can have fun touching.

Discipline is helping your child develop the habits of behaving. The habits of behaving well will develop over the years. They will come as your baby has a longer attention span and is able to explore more carefully. Love and affection are part of effective discipline. The relationship between you and your child develops from everything you do for and with your child. Show your child how much you love her by playing with her and telling her that you love her. As your child grows in her love and trust for you, she will want to behave in a way that will please you.

This newsletter gives equal space and time to both sexes. If we write him or her, we are talking about all babies. Every baby is different. Normal children may do things earlier or later than described in this FAQ. This FAQ describes typical children at each age. Each child is special and develops at his or her own pace.