How can you tell if they grow out of behaviour or your diciplining has worked?

[Louise1970]

Sometimes when my son stops behaving badly, i wonder if he has just got bored with it or grown out of it or my diciplinning has worked. People say to you keep going with the same diciplinning, but you and i know that if you keep on at something for long enough things do change anyway. (That isn't an excuse to stop diciplinning though).
I had a dream last night that i was able to see into my sons mind and he was laughing at me. Becuase i was diciplinning him for months and months on the same subject but he would not listern , he was saying to himself let me play with it, i will soon get bored and grow out of it. My German friend has always let her boy play with things that perhaps he should not, her method was that introducing things earlier would mean he would not be into everything later on. I must admit all the friends houses that she goes around, they do not see him going places he should not, fingers into other peoples things, opening cupboards and getting the contents out.

oh i love mumsnet!!!
Thoughts and ideas please...

[WideWebWitch]

I don't know how you can tell but I would just be glad it worked and carry on being consistent.