Can I spank my 10-month-old?

Question:

Can I spank my 10-month-old?

Answer:

Discipline starts as soon as a child starts to reach for things he should not touch. A firm but calm "No" followed by a flick on the back of the hand is usually enough to discourage a child. The key is consistency. You need to have your child realize that "no" means "no" all of the time and not most of the time. That means you must be vigilant for a while because a small child will explore the boundaries. Does "no" still mean no at a different time? Does it mean no when mom isn't paying attention or not in the room?

Once this basic lesson is learned, it gets a bit easier to deal with a mobile child.

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