Give Your Eight Month Old Short Reasons for Your Rules
Imagine that you are 8 to 9 months old. You try to talk, but no one seems to understand your language. You try to walk, but you’re not quite sure how to do it yet. You reach out to touch things that are shiny, soft, hard, smooth, or sticky, but everyone tells you, "No, don't touch."
How would you feel? A little frustrated, you can bet! That's how your baby feels at this age. She is very curious and wants to find out about all the fascinating things that are around her.
When you find yourself saying no, give your baby a one- or two-word reason. This helps her learn why she cannot behave in certain ways. Tell your baby what you want her to do instead. Research shows that this really helps. If you only say no to your baby, that important word will have so many different meanings that it will confuse your baby and not really tell her anything useful.
If you see your baby crawling toward your slippers, and you know they’ll go into her mouth, say, “Yucky” or “Tastes bad” and give her something else to play with.
If your baby tries to touch the hot oven, say “Hot,” and move her away from the stove.
As your baby gets older, you can make explanations a little longer — three or four words instead of one or two.
Your baby's memory is not as good as yours. Remember how many tries it took her to learn pat-a-cake and peek-a-boo? You will have to tell your baby again and again how to behave and handle situations the way you want.
No is a word that is easy for your baby to say. The more your baby hears it, the sooner she will be saying it to you. Hearing your baby saying it to you may add to your frustration.
Show the world to her, lovingly and safely. Be your baby's guide while she examines, explores, and satisfies her curiosity.
Learn More About 8 Month Old Children
- Babies Need Quality Child Care
- Baby Massages May Solve Sleep Problems
- Check Toys to Be Sure They’re Safe
- Curl Up with a Good Book to Help Your Eight Month Old Become a Reader
- Development and Characteristics of an Eight Month Old Baby
- Fear of Separation Happens Around Eight Months
- Feed Your Baby Foods with Different Textures to Prevent Childhood Obesity
- Feed Your Baby Vegetables and Fruits
- Frequently Asked Question: What is Stranger Anxiety?
- Help Your Baby Learn to Solve Problems
- Just In Time Parenting Podcast Month 8
- Keep Those Teeth Clean to Prevent Cavities and Decay
- Keep the Car Safety Seat in Your Car's Back Seat
- Playing Hide and Seek Helps Your Baby Learn
- Practice Talking and Walking with Your Infant
- Set Family Rules
- Spanking Your Baby Does Not Work
- Take Time for Yourself to Relieve Stress
- Your 8 Month Old Baby
- Your Baby Loves to Learn About His Nose and Toes
- Your Baby is Linking Eyesight and Hearing
See our Resource Links for additional information on child care and development.
