Teaching baby not to throw things??

[bag4498]

My 9 month dd throws everything she can off her highchair. I give her one chance and then I don't pick it up again. At what age can I start teaching her that she can not be doing that?

[Rachael]

She's figured out the pick-up game! This is actually a developmental milestone. She's connected throwing things with an adult picking them up for her. I'm sure it amuses her to no end. I know it's annoying, but she's not doing this to intentionally bother you. It's not a good idea to scold or try to stop this behavior at this point because she's actually learning from it.

If you're tired of picking things up, then don't. Just wait until mealtime is over and pick up the stuff (a handheld vacuum might be a useful investment) after she's out of the highchair. There's a good chance she'll abandon the pick-up game for some other cause-and-effect behavior if you don't participate.

Children don't have the capacity for empathy (i.e. understanding that something they're doing irritates other people) until about 3 years of age. You can start telling her "no" when she does things like this at about 12 months because then she'll be doing it to test your limits. But right now she's just doing it out of curiosity.

[mrs.izabel]

A 9 month old is not doing this out of naughtiness. THey have discovered a principle that once they throw something on the floor, someone picks it up. If you don't want to keep doing that, then don't pick up the toys. Otherwise, you just have to keep doing it. If you want to you can use links to keep the toys from falling completely to the floor, yet she may discover that she can get it back herself.

[Sarah B]

When my daughter was a year and a half old or so... when she was more aware that I had rules.. than I just said NO once. And when she threw it down, I would not pick it up for her. I would just say 'Mommy said no and now you have no toy'. She cried of course, but she was fine... I am sure she is not emotionally damaged. She is now a happy 8 year old and knows that I mean what I say still

[Walking on Sunshine]

Usually it is a game and they get over it by 1yr old. I used to tether everything to my daughters chair and stroller with those link rings - then when she tossed it she could get it herself. I even used a Binky tie to keep her from tossing the pacifier. She will discover soon enough it is a boring game. Good Luck!

[sue]

You are doing fine. The first time she throws it, pick it up, and before you hand it back, make it clear that that is not a good thing to do...something like "that was a bad idea/choice". Then, when she does it again, which she will, just pick it up, put it out of her reach, and say "no more".