When did you realize your child was making decisions different than yours?

[cally]

For me, it was when she refused to let me put the straw back into the cup. She cried, took the straw out, over and over, until SHE did it. Stubborn. That was about at 8 months old.

When she chased the balloon at 8 months old. Never looked back but went about 200 yards until I ran and picked her up.

Now they are teens. They have very different oppinions than I do.

[rbnyc]

1. I'm just kicking because...

...I'm curious about people's answers.

My little one is still too young.

[davsand]

2. She was all of about five weeks old.

It was about three AM and I was STILL up with her because she didn't feel it was time to sleep. It was time to be awake and HELD. Nothing else was acceptable to her except being held...

She was fed. She had clean dry pants. She was awake and thus MUST be held or she was going to cry. I was amazed by it. I seriously never had a clue that little babies make desires THAT plainly kmown.

I had people tell me that you "spoil" a baby if you pick them up when they cry, and I knew that was a load of stuff. We held that baby any time we could when she was awake, and she KNEW that if she was awake it was not right unless somebody had her with them. We paid a price for that in those night times when she was awake and would not sleep--but we also had a child who was certain she was cared for.

Laura

[rbnyc]

3. You can't spoil a baby!

:)

I think we've said that a few times here, but it's true. And studies have shown that babies who are held when they cry, cry less in the long term.

:hi: