Dicipline for a non-verbal toddler.... Help!

[APixieInMyTea]

My wonderful, lively, boisterous ds1 is 19months old.

He doesn't talk yet but does understand simple instructions, close that, put that away, stop etc.

I have ds2 who is 9weeks and breastfed so I'm confined to the sofa at various points through out the day.

Ds1 has obviously clicked onto this so as soon as I sit down to feed ds2 he's off doing things he knows he shouldn't be doing with a cheeky grin on his face.

I've turned into the shouty mother from hell, telling him to stop doing (whatever it is he's doing) that and he carries on because he knows I can't just jump off the sofa to stop him.

I don't want to be a shouty mum, I tried the 1, 2, 3 technique and put him in time out after 3 but he clanged onto me and sobbed uncontrollably because he didn't understand what was going on.

I'm still counting to 3 but he carries on because he knows nothing is going to happen anyway apart from me having a chance to get up and remove him, but he's right back at it when I continue feeding ds2, carry on making dinner etc.

What discipline do you use for your toddler. I like the 1, 2, 3, technique but how do I explain to him what is going to happen when I don't know if he's understanding me or not?

Shameful bump.

All I seem to have done today is shout.

what kind of stuff is he doing? I would try and put everything out of the way so that there is a limit to what he can do. Perhaps put a stairgate in the doorway, or just keep the living room door shut?

DD1 is 2.6 and only just 'gets' the naughty step really, so he might be a bit young for that, but you could try it... at 19 months I would just say 'no' firmly and take DD1 away from whatever she was doing wrong, but I guess you can't do that!

When DD2 was tiny and I was BF all the time I found the best way to get her to behave was to pause/turn off the telly until she did whatever it was I wanted her to do! (that's assuming you're like me and can't get through the newborn+toddler stage without Cbeebies )

I feel your pain, DD1 was 26 months when DD2 was born and that was hard enough!

Can you not set up with a peanut shell so you feel safer to move if you have to when feeding?

Or have special baby feeding books / toys that are only allowed out at feeding time?

I think at this age you don't need discipline, you need to set things up so he is kept occupied while you are BFing.

Have activities for him to do near you that will kepp him occupied while you feed the baby, remove objects etc. that you don't want him touching.

At this stage it is up to yoy to keep him out of trouble, not discipline him.

Don't shout. Distract.

I found a roll of masking tape could give my DS up to 40 minutes of pure concentration. Ditto an old catalogue that he could rip up or some shakers made by filling sealed containers with rice/pasta etc.

Incase it wasn't clear, give them masking tape to rip and stick, not just the roll of masking tape. The good thing about masking tape is that it can be removed from anything so it doesn't matter where they stick it, but they love sticking it.

Same goe for post it notes. Give him post it noes and a pencil.