Baby screams at word "no"

[Anna.Femm]

My 11-month old son reacted very dramatically today when I told him "no". I didn't yell but I had a firm voice and he has never really responded to a command before so I was really surprised when at the word "no" he stopped what he was about to do, looked at me and started crying and screaming in distress. The same thing happened 3 times already, always at the word "no" and without any yelling, even if I say it softly, and this has never happened before today.

I never yell or punish or have in any way any sort of behaviour that could scare him and I've been specifically careful careful about this so that he doesn't understand boundaries as something scary or distressful.

So now I'm getting a little panicky here because I'm worried someone has behaved badly with him at the nursery. Or it might be a normal thing for babies to get disstressed when they realise they don't get permission to do anything they want?

Does anyone have experience with this?

 

[kumber]

Yep! I posted a similar thread when DS1 was 10 months too. They're starting to learn boundaries at that age, they don't like it and it just gets worse! We have throwing on the floor and crocodile tears and he's not even 2 yet! It's great fun!

 

[littlemonkey]

I'd say it's probably just upsetting him that he can't get to do what he wants.

It only gets worse. When I say no to my two year old, I now get a reply of 'yes mummy, yes we can'

 

[Anna.Femm]

Thanl you ladies for your replies! If it's like you say, then it's great that he is understanding this new consept. I'm still a bit shaken though by the crying and the tears. He just bends his head and starts crying every time, it's heartbreaking! And this happened from one day to the next.

 

[kumber]

I don't know if this is the right thing to do but I've taken to ignoring it as, now, he's so melodramatic it's almost impossible not to laugh at him!

 

[JJ Mum]

Yes all normal as they soon realise your boundarys, my 23 mth olds fave word to tell me now is no!
I try no to be seen lauging and ignore like kumber does, praise the positive behaviors instead, like when he cheers up, gets over it. - try distraction when he starts crying, with something he is allowed to do/play with

 

[Anna.Femm]

I guess he was probably tired or not in his best mood at the time when I wrote this. I thought to try and only say no if it's something dangerous but it sort of slipped yesterday and he only stopped what he was doing and looked at me, and then just moved on - without crying or any sign of frustration.

Good thing we know he understands one word now though!

 

[OMGbabyno3]

Sounds about right.

My OH would say no to my dd1, at a bit younger. Just to test and her lip would go straight away!

 

[JD.Deedee]

I don't know if this is the right thing to do but I've taken to ignoring it as, now, he's so melodramatic it's almost impossible not to laugh at him!

Same, I told my DS yesterday to go back inside as he wasn't wearing socks.. So he sat down in the kitchen and started crying more and more and more.. It's hard not to laugh but you know it happens for the most ridiculous things gradually builds up and perhaps gets a bit scary at some point when they actually start throwing themselves having a full blown fit.. But now it's usually sitting down and having a sob for a couple of minutes..

We have a fireman collection of cars.. His dad got him the ambulance a couple of days a go.. The day after he got it he had a crying fit because the doors coming off about a million times even though he knows I come straight away to fix it.. He has to sob about it hahaha.. Especially when I say no even when it's nicely.
He's 2y 4m nearly now

 

[Jessiecat]

Explain why to him.
If he's wanting to play with something dangerous, explain "no we can't play with plugs as they are dangerous and you could hurt yourself but we can play with this (show toy/safe alternative)).

He won't understand everything you are saying but keep at it, treat him as a little person with his own mind and own interests and talk to him with respect when explaining why it's a no. Now that he has made a link to tantrums with the word no it may take a while to sink in but he'll begin to understand that it's not just because you don't want him to have fun lol and tht you're saying it in his best interest and are helping him find something new to play.