Strong Willed Child 3

Corporal punishment is not the only tool for use in shaping the will, nor is it appropriate at all ages and for all situations. The wise parent must understand the physical and emotional characteristics of each stage childhood, and then fit the discipline to a boy’s or girl’s individual needs. Below are the specific age categories and offering a few practical suggestions and examples for the various time frames. Please understand that this discussion is by no means exhaustive and merely suggests the general nature of disciplinary methods at specific periods.

Birth to Seven Months (0-7months)
No direct discipline is necessary for a child under seven months of age, regardless of behavior or circumstance. Many parents do not agree, and find themselves “swatting” a child of six months for wiggling while being diapered or for crying in the middle of the night. This is serious mistake, as a baby is incapable of comprehending his “offenses” or associating it with the resulting punishment.
At this stage of, baby need to be held, loved, and most important, to hear a soothing human voice. He should be fed when hungry and kept clean and dry and warm. In essence, it is probable the foundation for emotional and physical health is laid during this first six months period, which should be characterized by security, affection and warmth.
On the other hand, it is possible to create a fussy, demanding baby by rushing to pick him up every time he utters a whimper or sigh. Infants are fully capable of learning to manipulate their parents through a process called reinforcement, whereby any behavior that produces a pleasant result will tend to recur.
To avoid this happen, it is important to strike a balance between giving your baby the attention he needs and establishing him as a tiny dictator. Don’t be afraid to let him cry a reasonable period of time as it was told that good for the healthy lungs. Pay attention to the tone of his voice for the difference between random discontent and genuine distress. Most mothers learn to recognize this distinction in time.