Well, it will certainly teach them that it hurts to try to touch those things when you are around. One has to wonder what they think will happen when they touch them when you aren't around. Also, it teaches them that hitting is an effective and acceptable means of communication. A lesson that you probably don't want them to learn. On balance, I'd say the answer to your question is "no". ETA: Well, if you can always be there to hit your child rather than have the child learn that electric outlets "bite", or some similar analogy a child can understand, then more power to you and your bruised child. I'd rather teach my child a lesson they will actually carry with them about the power of electricity, instead of a lesson about how they should duck when they see me coming.

With my nephew, whenever he would hit his head by accident on the coffee table or even fell on the floor he would cry...so I'd hit the coffee table and said "bad coffee table!" and he would stop crying all the time. Then as he grew up he became very agressive with our family...jumping on us, and basically abusing us. I knew I had screwed up. I shouldn't have blamed objects for his pains. The best way to teach kids is to just say "Don't touch this, it is hot." and if he/she goes for it anyways, he will learn that it is hot and hot hurts. Of course it really depends on what lesson you are trying to teach him. Don't let them get electrocuted to prove a point!

Well, the likely hood is that he or she will eventually do it anyway, but try "If you touch that, it will hurt." If they don't listen (like I didn't) and do it anyway, say "Well that was silly! You should of listened to mummy/daddy, shouldn't you!" This will teach them to listen and trust you as well as teaching them not to touch the thing again!

What about saying no this will hurt you and re-directing the child? Hitting is never the answer. You are not teaching a child anything else but fear. So what happens when they are to big to hit? Why would they listen to you then? You need to teach why something is wrong. A child is not a dog to be obediant. Children are humans and should be treated with respect also, not like a possesion.

It really depends. Cause and effect is a great method when it can be used. But sometimes the danger is too great for a child to be allowed to experience. And yes, you can childproof your house, but can't childproof grandma's house. If a firm no doesn't work then you may need to slap the hands. Make sure that they understand that it is a no no and are disobeying though. Kids get the concept of "no" very early, don't think otherwise.

Worked for me,,,, but you dont have to slap the little hand very hard. Just enough to get their attention. Little ones can understand your talk long before they can speak. So, I would spank my childs hand if they were about to touch a hot stove, and sternly tell them to not to touch. They can tell a stern voice from a soothing voice, just like a puppy can, and it does work. But you must be consistant.

It is NEVER appropriate to hit a child. Growing up in a household full of non-stop domestic violence, I can speak from experience that Punishment doesn't teach or resolve anything. My suggestion would be to try disiplining instead, this is the act of 'teaching' and is a more constructive approach to modifying a childs behavior. Children follow the leader so if you're personality reflects hatred then you will be percieved as mad and followed by with anger.

Its better for you to slap you baby then letting the baby learn the hard way

Yes, it can be affective. A light smack on the hand is all thats needed. But not too hard now! You dont want them to get the idea that you doing it to be mean!

Slapping is, IMO for some, is easier because is takes less time and less thought. Sometimes it's even a frustration outlet for parents. It's really an "old school" way of parenting. Taking the time and effort to "teach" a child right from wrong will be more beneficial to the child. There are so many ways to parent and so much information to learn new and different ways of parenting. Find what works for you. There is no one right way to parent.

no short words with big expression. such as HOT your eyes wide your voice raised. something sharp. ouch grab your hand act it out. hitting anything but there butt causes bad habbits.

yes, i believe a light smack on the hand is effective, it worked for my child. as well as a strong no and short explanation.

I don't think so. Their memories aren't long enough at that age. Better to babyproof, move things out of their reach, and use such things as redirection. Get their attention focused on something else instead of the object they shouldn't be touching.

no.A Very expressive "No" is a winner

yes it is. it doesnt have to be hard.it's the "surprize" that works.

No, it is not effective - not in the long run. And even if it were effective, that doesn't make it right. Humans should know better than to hit people for doing something they don't like - especially once they're old enough to procreate.

No, what you teach them is that when you're big you get your way by hitting others. Better to say no and move forbidden item or child. Keep repeating and child will get the message. Hitting them also weakens the message that I love you and don't ever want to hurt you. there are other ways to teach

No,it's not teaching them, it's just exerting your power and they can't understand why you just hurt them, whether physically, or just hurting their feelings if it's a sensitive child. Why should child rearing be synonymous with hitting to teach? Can't we rise above this primitive method?

There's a difference between dicipline and abuse, as well as a 14 month old and a 14 year old. Old-school parenting may be a thing of the past, according to some, but it worked for me & my children. Slapping a hand that's reaching for something that's dangerous for them is a lot better than just saying "now honey, don't do that"! Being consistent and aware is the key. Children need to learn there is, and will be, a response to their actions.

Your children love you and want to see you happy, if You give a stern NO with an expressive gesture, and be consistant about it, they WILL get the message. It is not ok to teach your child that hitting is an effective form of communication, and that your job is to hurt them. You should be thier safe place to fall, not thier cause of pain. A 14 month old child needs a safe environment in which to explore, CHILD-PROOF your home and make sure they can't touch hazardous things on a regular basis. Make a game of it by not touching certain things yourself, and explain to them that you are doing it. EDIT: by 12 months a child can understand about 80% of what we say around them, this IS old enough...I have a 10 month old that knows already not to touch the plants, I have never needed to slap her to tell her this.

No. Explaining to a child that it's wrong to do 'whatever' is a start. Also staying calm while explaining to the child is helpful. Children understands more than we think they do, and they can be very tricky and manipulative when we least expect.

Well you have to have control over how hard you slap, so the child won't get hurt. my mom used to if i hit her when i was a child, to slap me back, but gentle. so i woulden't go hit some other kid, and that kid hit me, because that child would not have control over how hard they hit, and would probably hit really hard. and i would say that is effective, and the child learn. But another way is to say NO and carry them away from there, over and over, then they will eventually learn. (since your child is just thouching things, i think you should take the second.) But the answer to your question: Yes, thats affective. ( but be carefull so your child don't think it is okey to go around and slap other kids)

I think spanking a cjild is a good thing,because they learn that if you do something wrong that yoy will have a price to pay,and they do have to listen to what the parent is saying.Look at the children that most likely don't get spanked they smack there parents,spait fall out,have a smart ass mouth,just bad.Dont abuse the children,but a good smack on the butt or hand will not hurt anybody.

Do you eat pork and shellfish? Then you don't read the bible. It is pathetic how many people hide behind the bible for excuses to hurt others or do what they know is wrong. From Dr. Sears Site. Don't use the Bible as an excuse to spank. There is confusion in the ranks of people of Judeo-Christian heritage who, seeking help from the Bible in their effort to raise godly children, believe that God commands them to spank. They take "spare the rod and spoil the child" seriously and fear that if they don't spank, they will commit the sin of losing control of their child. In our counseling experience, we find that these people are devoted parents who love God and love their children, but they misunderstand the concept of the rod. Rod verses - what they really mean. The following are the biblical verseswhich have caused the greatest confusion: "Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him." (Prov. 22:15) "He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him." (Prov. 13:24) "Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death." (Prov. 23:13-14) "The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to itself disgraces his mother." (Prov. 29:15) At first glance these verses may sound pro-spanking. But you might consider a different interpretation of these teachings. "Rod" (shebet) means different things in different parts of the Bible. The Hebrew dictionary gives this word various meanings: a stick (for punishment, writing, fighting, ruling, walking, etc.). While the rod could be used for hitting, it was more frequently used for guiding wandering sheep. Shepherds didn't use the rod to beat their sheep - and children are certainly more valuable than sheep. As shepherd-author Philip Keller teaches so well in A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23, the shepherd's rod was used to fight off prey and the staff was used to gently guide sheep along the right path. ("Your rod and your staff, they comfort me." – Psalm 23:4). Jewish families we've interviewed, who carefully follow dietary and lifestyle guidelines in the Scripture, do not practice "rod correction" with their children because they do not follow that interpretation of the text. The book of Proverbs is one of poetry. It is logical that the writer would have used a well-known tool to form an image of authority. We believe that this is the point that God makes about the rod in the Bible – parents take charge of your children. When you re-read the "rod verses," use the concept of parental authority when you come to the word "rod," ratherthan the concept of beating or spanking. It rings true in every instance. While Christians and Jews believe that the Old Testament is the inspired word of God, it is also a historical text that has been interpreted in many ways over the centuries, sometimes incorrectly in order to support the beliefs of the times. These "rod" verses have been burdened with interpretations about corporal punishment that support human ideas. Other parts of the Bible, especially the New Testament, suggest that respect, authority, and tenderness should be the prevailing attitudes toward children among people of faith. In the New Testament, Christ modified the traditional eye-for-an-eye system of justice with His turn-the-other-cheek approach. Christ preached gentleness, love, and understanding, and seemed against any harsh use of the rod, as stated by Paul in 1 Cor. 4:21: "Shall I come to you with the whip (rod), or in love and with a gentle spirit?" Paul went on to teach fathers about the importance of not provoking anger in their children (which is what spanking usually does): "Fathers, do not exasperate your children" (Eph. 6:4), and "Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will be discouraged" (Col. 3:21). In our opinion, nowhere in the Bible does it say you must spank your child to be a godly parent. SPARE THE ROD!There are parents who should not spank and children who should not be spanked. Are there factors in your history, your temperament, or your relationship with your child that put you at risk for abusing your child? Are there characteristics in your child that make spanking unwise? * Were you abused as a child? * Do you lose control of yourself easily? * Are you spanking more, with fewer results? * Are you spanking harder? * Is spanking not working? * Do you have a high-need child? A strong-willed child? * Is your child ultrasensitive? * Is your relationship with your child already distant? * Are there present situations that are making you angry, such as financial or marital difficulties or a recent job loss? Are there factors that are lowering your own self-confidence? If the answer to any of these queries is yes, you would be wise to develop a no-spanking mindset in your home and do your best to come up with noncorporal alternatives. If you find you are unable to do this on your own, talk with someone who can help you.

yes it is, how are you going to communicate do not touch to a 14 month old without a light slap. Don't slap it too hard, ideally the strike should not even be hard enough to make them cry but it should be hard enough to communicate the idea that they shouldn't do that. Find some parents with children who are behaving and poll them to see what they did.

This sounds cruel, I know, but it has always been effective in my family to let them try it out once (unless it is a situation where it would badly injure them). For example, my nephew would always try to grab my sister and her husband's lighter when it was lit and we kept telling him no. Finally we just kept it lit and when he realised that it hurt, he stopped doing it. We never let it burn him, just enough to let him know that it wasnt a fun toy. Sometimes they have to learn for themselves, no matter how many times you slap their hand, or tell them no.

I think it is the parents responsibility to watch the child well enough so that the baby won't hurt itself! I know I am talking about personal responsibility, which is not very popular nowadays so someone is going to rate my answer negatively but I don't care! Anyone who could think that it is right to slap a baby is not the kind of person I would want on my side. It takes creatively and energy to protect a baby well, so don't be lazy and slap your baby, be creative and expend energy: The rewards you & your will reap will far out weigh the time it takes to do the right thing!

I think it's fine, as long as you give your baby 1 warning. I use this method on my 11 month, but normally I give him 2 chances.

Only if you want the child to grow up to be aggressive.

the child only grows up agressive if you don more that a light smack. if you yell and scream at them all the time and smack them for no apparent reason, then they are going to grow up agressive. a light smack and a "no" teaches them that what they are doing is wrong. especially if they are trying to tuch the fire, or put things in electrical sockets or tuch an element. you need to teach them and theis way wont make agression, but only if you dont go overboard with it. usually you can just pull your child away and say no or naughty. but if its extremly dangerous slapping a childs hand LIGHTLY is ok

A lot of the answers are mentioning spanking, but the question doesn't mention it so why? Anyway, would you rather have your hand slapped or a burn mark or potentially missing finger!? And with a hand that small all slapping it really does push it down quickly, you would have to actually GRAB the wrist and slap, and I wouldn't approve of that on a baby.

Better than letting them be injured; but your goal should be to train a child to listen to your voice. BTW, I'm a grandparent of 9 and we have been only marginally successful at this; but we keep trying. LOL

At 14 months babies learn through touch and by slapping the hand you are showing the baby that it is wrong to learn and explore. there are methods to teach your baby what is dangerous. For example what I did with my baby is let him quickly touch a hot kettle (it ofcourse didnt burn him) but that way he learnt the word 'hots'. Now when he wants to touch something like a hot plate I tell him its 'hots' and he leaves it alone.

OOOOH thats so hard my baby is 1 yr old and very loving and of course he grabs things he shouldn't i tell him no and hold his hand but i don't know if he is able to "know" what he can and can not touch.I have smacked his hand 2 or 3 times around the tv not because i am a witch bc i know if the tv flips on him he would be squashed and that terrifies me.I do not think that u should raise a child w fear of what if but i do struggle w this especially if i feel my baby is being threatened.So I guess my answer would be don't smack his hand over ripping the toilet paper off the roll and seeing how far in the house he can drag it bc he's just being a happy bundle of joy even if u r tired but if hes trying to grab something thats gonna hurt him like a tv that could be pulled on him or something hot smack his hand but yes i also agree that u should baby proof your house as much as possible and use common sense u have a baby u sholuldn't have anything hot around but on the rare occasion that u do WATCH YOUR BABY AND KEEP HIM SAFE PUT HIM IN A HIGH CHAIR IF U HAVE TO

I personally would not slap my child to show them not to touch something. I would take whatver the child is touching (whether it's your cell phone etc.) out of their hands and tell them no and put it away. Slapping a child in my mind is sending a message that later on whenever they do something wrong they are going to get slapped (regardless of how hard) and to be afraid of you. You don't want a child afraid of you. Remember if you have a 14 month old around they get into things they shouldn't and it's their way of investigating the world. If there is something you really don't want them to touch put it away from their reach.

It an effective way to teach them to hit.

No, it isn't because it is an external consequence. Self restraint should be an internal response, not from an outside source. Imagine someone 4 feet taller than you slapping you on the hand because they didn't want you to touch something. I think that would really p*ss you off. And it would make you stop touching whatever it is out of FEAR of that slap, not on your own recognizances because internally you would recognize it's wrong.

Slapping is a good way to teach a baby/child that the appropriate response to a situation is hitting. Your child is your mirror - he or she will do what you do. If you are OK with people hitting each other, then slap it up. If you are not, then respond with a simple, firm NO and a redirection to a new activity.

I don't think spanking causes a child to become aggressive, if it is done out of love, not anger. A 14 month old baby, IMO is too young to be spanked though. I think because their attention spans are still so short that slapping or spanking would not do any good.

The first deterent should be to put as many things as possible out of the child's reach. Especially in the rooms where the child sleeps or plays a lot. In most situations I would verbally tell the child not to touch things and then distract them or put them in a different area. However if a child was about to stick their hand in a hot oven I probably to tap their hand.

It's better than getting a sever burn on the hand, but I didn't learn until I got the sever burn. And sometimes I wonder if I have learned yet! By the way knives cut hands as well as food.

a BIG no. You can make a baby understand in other ways, not by slapping her.

Its been proven that no form of discipline (like spanking is really discipline. yeah right. spanking on children is all abuse) works for children that age.

the child is still too young to truly "know" that they shouldn't touch whatever it is your avoiding them to touch. at this point they are not trying to defy you by touching it, they are only acting on impulse. they cant control being curious at this age. slapping they're hand is never the answer. they will not only be fearful but it will introduce that this is the way to get your point across.

i dont know. I think if you just look at them and say, "NO!" they will learn just the same. You dont want the kid to learn how to slap

It's an effective way to teach them: 1- That they'll get slapped if they touch certain things (Not precisely what those things are, or why they shouldn't touch them, just that the consequence is getting slapped). 2- If they're intelligent, they may also learn that they can get what they want by hitting people. In the end, I think a good strong "No!" should suffice to correct most 14-month-olds, and if it doesn't, then there are still a lot of other options (time outs, etc.) that should be tried before hitting them, even gently. It's my firm belief that using physicaly discipline any more than absolutely necessary should be avoided, because alone, hitting your child only teaches them violence, while failing to teach them what's really imporant: Why what they did was wrong.

i have a 14 month old, and i breifly tried this but it wasnt effective what-so-ever. and the "your teaching them you can hit to express communication" makes sense. I dont want the hitter child on the playground. At 14 months children are too young to understand an explination and time-out too is goingt o prove to be uneffective, they just do not possess the self control to not touch, thye may know it is wrong 9which my son 100% does) but when the urge comes they can not help it. you must childproof and wait it out until they ar about 18 months when other forms besides redirection adn possitve re-enforcment work. my son would just look and laugh at me if i swatted his hand away, or worse slapped it...adn then i wondered why he hit me when he was upset...WELL makes sense that b/c i hit him adn was obviously upset once, he thought that was a possible way of communicating anger. He was my first and it takes time to figure out what works well adn not so well, i found this worked not so well.

The rod rids the child of foolishness. If you don't believe God's Holy Word, then you are stuck making your own rules. That truly is ineffective. Yes, there are many creative ways to discipline and gently correct. The rod should be reserved for incidence of outright disobedience or folly. If they look you in the eye to disobey, that is your cue to use the rod of correction. Children will be willful at a young age, hopefully as God disciplines those He loves, you will love your child in discipline as well. Parents who obey God have an easier time demanding obedience in their own children.

AL i have to say to my 15 month old is NO and he stops. Slapping their fingers is ok as long as it not real hard where you are leaving makes but usually a baby will stop if you say no in the right tone of voice.

I am a mother of an 18 year old(recent High School Graduate!!) and a 14 month old. When raising him, I did tell him not to touch certain things, but as we all know, children will test their bboundries. Popping him on the hand or behind did not kill him or ruin his chances at a productive life. It taught him that there are consequences to all actions. My daughter is at the age of testing her boundries and I do talk to her. However, I will "pop" her if I need to. I am a firm believer in the Bible, that's MY instruction book, and if it tells me not to "spare the rod" I will not "spare the rod." I know from everyday experiene that if you don't 'discipline' children when their young, they will 'discipline' you when their older...Literally!!!