How to Teach a 6-12 Month Old ‘No’

Your baby is still young, but it is important to instill within her the ability to quickly respond to the word ‘no’. This can prevent her from potentially getting hurt. Read below to learn the best methods to teaching your baby what ‘no’ means.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Watch for times when your baby is about to do something inappropriate.

2. Stop her before she completes the action by telling her ‘no’ in a firm, but loving manner.

3. Express your concern and displeasure through your facial expression more than through your voice. Loudness or harshness may scare your infant.

4. Use some type of hand motion, such as a shaking pointer finger or the American Sign Language sign for ‘no’. Use this sign each time you say ‘no’. This will reinforce what ‘no’ means and help her to respond even faster.

5. Imitated what might happen if she did the inappropriate action. For example, if she is about to touch a hot mug, pretend to touch it and then burst into tears. This will show her that the action will bring great discomfort and she will most likely avoid that action in the future.

6. Tell her ‘no’ consistently when she is about to do something inappropriate. Hesitating from doing this because you feel you are being too negative could cause her to get mixed signals and misinterpret what ‘no’ really means.

7. Avoid creating fake situations. If you set her up in a situation and then scold her for responding to it, she will be confused, frustrated, and unable to respond to 'no’ appropriately.

Tips & Warnings

• Learning sign language can greatly increase your ability to communicate with your baby.
• Be sure to stay consistent!