When do they learn cause and effect?

[BabydollsMum]

As in "you have to put your shoes on and then we can go outside".

DD is VERY impatient at 18 months and can't seem to grasp this yet. Are we a long way off?

I suspect she knows - she just doesn't feel it necessary and is just impatient. I believe most babies know plenty of course and effect by 18 months. 14 month DD has certainly known for a long time that shoes (and jacket) and buggy all need to be organised before she can go out. And bringing them has been her way of asking since pretty much as soon as she could walk.

DS is now almost 2 and is finally understanding "shoes on SO that we can go outside" - but still has to be told, he wouldn't voluntarily put shoes on. I reckon it's only in the past couple of months that he actually comes to me when I say "we need to get you dressed so that we can go to playgroup and see your friends".

Interesting re cause and effect though, I reckon it's a key time for learning this. Every night in the bath, DS says "play with shampoo?" and I say "yes, but why do we keep the top on?" DS; "Shampoo come out in bath", and it's not like he forgets, it's like he's checking that the same rule applies every day.

That's exactly what I mean, Ozzie - perhaps the shoes was a bad example as that's just learned behaviour. I mean the actual, cognitive 'this leads to this if I do this'. And more importantly, the beginnings of Mummy and Daddy being able to BRIBE!

I reckon towards 2 it definitely gets easier. Funnily enough my in laws arrived today with a dvd of DS when they were last here (he was 15 months) and it's amazing of how much of a "walking baby" he was, when now he is SO much more a "child" instead.

I see it all the time with him now - splash splash in the bath - look at me for my reaction!