Bad behaviour in a 13 month old

[kay26]

My usually placid, sweet 13 month old DD has all of a sudden turned in to a little brat. She has started lobbing food off the table, batting the spoon out of my hand when I try to feed her and has started hitting. She started doing it every now and again about 3 weeks ago and now does it at practically every meal. The hitting thing is getting more frequent as well.

So far I've been saying 'No' very firmly and if she hits me, have been putting her down and ignoring her for a minute. With the food thing, I'm not so sure. The last couple of days, if she throws food off the table, I've been saying 'no throwing food' and then take the food away from her. I then try to feed her myself and when she starts batting food out of my hand, I then tell her 'No' and warn her that if she does it again there will be no more lunch/dinner. If she does it again, I've just been taking her out of her chair and ending meal time.

I saw in an old post that some people had used a naughty corner but is she too young for this? If not, do you implement it every single time she does anything naughty? Do I take her out of her chair at meal time and put her in a corner before putting her back in her chair?

Now the last couple of nights she has woken up. It could be teeth but am worried it could also be her new 'I'm in control' thing.

Why is this happening all of a sudden? I really don't want any of this behaviour to escalate any further. Any suggestions for how to try to nip it in the bud? Any similar experiences? Thanks

[RubySlippers]

everything you describe is normal

she is starting to push boundaries etc

she is way too young for a "naughty" step - telling her no is absoultely fine

throwing food seems to hit a peak at around this age, and then calms down - it is a good game after all, as poor mummy has to keep picking everything up

[RubySlippers]

it isn't bad behaviour - she has no concept of good and "bad"

13 month olds behave instinctively

[LilRedWG]

She's not being naughty - she's being a 13 month old. I think you are handling it correctly (at least the same as I do ).

It really is a phase and you do need to keep repeating the MN mantra to yourself, "This too will pass".

[yetanothername]

Definitely not being bad, she's playing and exploring her world which she has ever more growing control over.

You seem to be handling it fine, just don't expect her to actually understand no for a long time yet!

[kay26]

thanks, I know what you're all saying and maybe I'm letting it get to me too much but it's not just dropping stuff and experimenting she's doing. She looks me in the eye and then actually aggressively throws or hits. I know that obviously she's going to go through phases like this but it just seems to have gone from completeley placid to really aggressive in a week!

[TheHonEnid]

this is normal behaviour

dont end her meal time
dont use a naughty corner
dont get cross
dont take it personally

just put up with it and if she is driving you mad put her gently in her cot with a drink and some toys then come downstairs to have a breather