When does "no" start?

[SheepNumber97245]

Today I was wearing my baby in the sling while walking through the kitchen to go for a walk outside. As I was walking by the counter he reached out and grabbed for the knives in the knife holder. Luckily the blades were down but they went crashing onto the floor. I usually hold his arms in when i walk by something dangerous i think he might reach for but i thought i was far enough away this time. His little arms are longer than i thought! I said, "Hendrix! No." in a stern, but not loud voice. He was so scared he started whaling and he give me his sad lip. Cute but it broke my heart. Then i thought, he's only 7 months old... maybe it's too early for me to tell him no. Maybe he doesn't understand why i would be so cold to him.

When do they start to understand "no"?

[WinterStar]

Aww, you got a shock, he got a shock, don't be too hard on yourself.

But yes, for sure he doesn't understand "no" yet! As for when that happens, it kind of depends on what you mean by "understand". Do you actually mean "when do they obey a no?", or "when do they understand that they shouldn't grab at kinves", or......?

It's worth considering - what no's do you want to be using, and how often, and why....personally I avoid saying no wherever I can, my dd is then more accepting when I DO have to use a no. She also has much more of a sense of control over her own life (she's 2). A "no" even at 2 years is rarely "understood" in the true sense of the word, and even if there IS understanding, self control is another thing altogether......