My 15 month old.

There are 3 things I'd like some advice about. I'm going a little crazy!
1) discipline
2) tooth brushing
3) getting rid of the paci

DS is about 15.5 months old now. Lately he's been doing nasty things like wacking me in the face, or smurf that's just annoying like constantly turning the tv on/off. He knows what no means, but lately he's really been testing his limits. When he does something bad and we say no, he'll laugh and do it again. When that doesn't work, I'll give him a nice pat on the hand. But even that doesn't work. It's mostly the hitting that really bothers me. I'm considering time outs now, because I really don't want to start spanking. Is he old enough to understand time outs? Would it be effective? How should I go about doing that? Any other suggestions would be great too.

As for tooth brushing, it's impossible for me to really get it done. He has 12 teeth now, the front 4 on the top and bottom and all 4 first molars. The pediatrician said to use a damp washcloth against his teeth, but when I do that he bites me....hard. He drew blood tonight...even with my finger wrapped up in the washcloth. When I try to actually brush his teeth with the toothbrush, he'll open his mouth for a second then close it and spit the toothbrush out. I feel like I can't clean them well enough. I'll let him watch me brush my teeth and have him use his too, but lately he's just been chewing on the wrong end of it. And I know he isn't cleaning them well enough just by chewing on the bristles anyway. How do/did you get your child to cooperate a little more with this?

Finally, the damn paci. He's not horrible with it. I only give it to him when he goes to sleep and sometimes if he gets fussy in the car. But he NEEDS it to sleep. Whenever he goes to sleep, he needs his blanket and his paci. If he doesn't have his paci he'll scream and cry until he gets it. Which sucks because if he doesn't want to go to sleep, he'll throw everything out of his crib and then cry until we get it. Also, if his paci falls out while he's sleeping, he'll half wake up and fuss a little and I'll have to go stick it back in his mouth because he's seriously like in zombie mode and can't find it. Once he gets it back though, he grabs his blanket and passes out, like he never woke up to begin with. I wanted to have it gone by his first birthday but that obviously didn't happen. I don't want him to be like me as a kid. I was obsessed with mine. My mom said I had them till I was 3 or 4 and I would always walk around with one in my mouth and one in my hand, or even two in my mouth. I was so old when I got rid of them I can still vaguely remember how my parents had to tell me Santa needed them for other little boys and girls and I had to let them go. So, how did you go about getting rid of it? I'd like to be done with them before potty training preferably, because that's a huge transition as well and I don't think it'd be a good idea going through two big, stressful transitions at once.

For the record, he's always been such an easy-going baby. He's been great transitioning between things. He slept in our room with us until around 8 months, then one night I decided to let him sleep in his crib in his room instead and we've never had a problem. In fact, he actually slept a little better since he couldn't hear DH and I rustling around in our bed. I exclusively pumped rather than breastfeeding, so he always got my milk in a bottle. Shortly before his first birthday I decided to take away the bottle cold turkey and let him have milk in a sippy cup. He didn't seem to care one bit. I'm nervous about the paci though because he seems to be much more attached.

DD is the same age. i cant help with the acting out question, because she hasnt tested her limits too much yet and she usually listens (KNOCK ON WOOD), or for the Paci question because she never took one...but for the tooth brush issue...DD HATED getting her teeth brushed. for XMAS DH and i got a really nice electric tooth brush and she became fascinated with it. she even lets me use it in her mouth. its one of those intense vibrating ones. maybe you can try that? i dont know...but good luck!

*watching* i have a 15 month old as well!

Myson does the t.v thing too, even when we say no. we keep builind barriers around it -_-
But he does it even when hes watchign his shows..i know he likes the fact that he pushes a button, and it causes something to happen..so im not too worried about that yet, i think the curiousity will fade.
He uses a paci alot too..havent tried taking it away yet.
As far a teeth brushing..we use a tooth brush and hold his arms down..irecently found out if i see the barney's teeth brushing song he'll let me brush them! lol

Quoting Elliot Grace's Mama:" DD is the same age. i cant help with the acting out question, because she hasnt tested her limits too ... [snip!] ... even lets me use it in her mouth. its one of those intense vibrating ones. maybe you can try that? i dont know...but good luck!"

It's worth a shot lol! He has a vibrating teether that he loves so there's a good chance he'll take a vibrating toothbrush!

I don't think he's too young for time out. If you tell him no, try to redirect him. If he continues to do it, say "you need to go to time out". We didn't have a chair or anything, but I picked a spot in the entry way. I found that a chair is just one more thing to play with. There were no toys around, I could see her, and she could see me. She would sit on the floor and I wouldn't speak to her except to tell her to stay there or to sit down. It was amazingly effective for us!

Not a lot you can do about the brushing of teeth. Try a vibrating one?

We took our DD's paci when she was about 2. We talked it up for a couple days about how she was almost a big girl and pretty soon she wouldn't need a paci anymore. We named all the things she could do that babies weren't big enough for, etc. A few days later, we would start not offering it to her, but if she wanted it, we would give it to her. We would ask "are you SURE you want it? Why don't we put it down here next to your bed and if you want it later, you can get it." A few days later... "Why don't we try it without? You're getting to be a big girl now! You don't really need it." A few more days... "Oh, you're such a big girl!! You don't need it. No paci tonight." She whined for just a few minutes and then was asleep. The next day at naptime, she asked for it, but that was it!!

Quoting October2011:" *watching* i have a 15 month old as well! Myson does the t.v thing too, even when we say no. we keep ... [snip!] ... tooth brush and hold his arms down..irecently found out if i see the barney's teeth brushing song he'll let me brush them! lol"

Lol DS turns the tv off while he's watching his shows too, I don't understand him! As soon as he sees I turned it back on he marches right back over to turn it off! I let it slide usually because I need to pick my battles and that is not nearly as bad as hitting lol. I really hope his curiosity fades and he stops! And I will try a song while brushing his teeth, I'm willing to try anything lol

Quoting -BLT-:" I don't think he's too young for time out. If you tell him no, try to redirect him. If he continues to ... [snip!] ... tonight." She whined for just a few minutes and then was asleep. The next day at naptime, she asked for it, but that was it!! "

Yeah, maybe I should wait till he's a little older to take the paci away so he can understand a little better lol that would make it so much easier. I have a plastic play yard that we usually use to block off certain sections of a room, I suppose I could use that as a time out area? He does not like being locked up lol. I don't think he would sit still if I told him he was in time out and he had to sit there

Quoting Aiden's Mommy   10/13/11:" Yeah, maybe I should wait till he's a little older to take the paci away so he can understand a little ... [snip!] ... He does not like being locked up lol. I don't think he would sit still if I told him he was in time out and he had to sit there"

Yeah, some people use the crib, but it's not recommended because it might cause them not to want to sleep in it. Another thing you could try is sitting w/ him on your lap for the time out period. So he knows there is a consequence and he has to stop playing when he doesn't listen. I definitely think SOMETHING should be done when he misbehaves, it just has to work for you guys and your child. He's testing right now and it's only going to get worse.   It's time to pick a plan of action! lol.

Quoting -BLT-:" Yeah, some people use the crib, but it's not recommended because it might cause them not to want to ... [snip!] ... you guys and your child. He's testing right now and it's only going to get worse.   It's time to pick a plan of action! lol. "

I knowww! Haha I hope he doesn't turn out like his father, I've heard many stories about him as a kid and he was a nightmare lol. I'm not ready for my baby to be a toddler and throw nasty tantrums!