Q: My 6-month-old baby is starting to reach for things he shouldn’t. I slap his hand and tell him "no" but he keeps doing it anyway. I'm worried about safety for the home.
A: At this age, babies love to touch, with their hands and their mouths. Although it can be messy for mom, touch is normal baby behavior and how he learns about life. When he grabs your face or your hair with his sticky fingers, he’s not trying to hurt you. He’s just curious.
Still, there are some things that shouldn’t be touched because they may break or they may hurt him. Helping him learn that is your job as a parent. Good discipline is really just about teaching your child what is right, what is wrong and how to use self-control. You can begin that process early with a few powerful tools.
Stock up on lots of good things to touch: fuzzy blankets, bumpy balls and smooth blocks provide great activities for babies. These textile toys give him lots of safe ways to do what he craves to do: touch and explore.
Redirect his attention to something else. Say, ‘‘You don’t want that pencil; let's look at the picture in this book!’’ Redirection often turns fussy babies into busy babies.
Replace the forbidden object with something else. For example, when he grabs for your necklace, give him an interesting toy instead.
Research shows that slapping his hand or yelling at this age will only confuse him and won’t help at all. Try gently teaching your child instead.