Baby Blog

Compared to most babies, my son does pretty well in the public setting. He has attended board meetings since he was six weeks old, gone out to lunch, attends story time at the library and goes everywhere with me. But as his verbal communication improves, his manners do not. He has begun to act out in public and the not listening to mommy in the home has become an issue in the store.

Nik, at 11 months is still too young to set behavior expectations before we go somewhere. A reward system really wouldn’t work and of course, raising my voice is out of the question as are time outs. I don’t feel letting your kid scream in public is fair on anyone. People say they don’t mind but I remember my pre mother days. Screaming babies and parents that let them do it…urgh.

So what to do when the baby acts up in public?

Yesterday we went out to lunch to make up for the fact that baby Nik had to miss his story time as mommy had a dentist appointment. Lunch wasn’t too bad beside the unsuccessful attempt escape from the restaurant high chair and a bit of a French fry throwing incident; all usual fair for an attention seeking baby.

We went over to my friend’s store to pick up birthday supplies for Nik’s party and as I shopped and visited he pulled all the merchandise off the shelves. I scolded him, moved him away, put it back and he did it again. He did not listen. Finally my friend and store owner stepped in and a chastised little boy with head hanging low stopped trying to eat the post it note display.

So, its not that Nik doesn’t under stand and won’t listen, it’s that he won’t listen to me. What to do?

Set limits apparently is pretty much all I can do and try and teach Nik to follow directions. His desire to play, explore and tear down shelves is much stronger than his desire to heed my warnings or listen when I say “no.” All I can really do is keep correcting misbehavior through physical example (moving him, reiterating things, showing him the right way, distracting with another task) until he’s a little bit bigger.

And then of course, by the time I get this down pat, I’ll be looking at the onset of terrible twos.

Parenthood is like recovering from addiction I guess.  You take it one day at a time.