Afraid of being a meanie mommy? Don't be. "'Discipline' means 'to teach,' so think of it in terms of teaching your child right from wrong," says Ari Brown, M.D., author of Baby 411. Once your baby understands what you say, which happens at about this age, she's ready for basic discipline. Three situations solved:

Your 1-year-old bites you -- on purpose.
What to do: Put her down in a safe place and calmly say, "No biting, time-out." Wait one minute, then scoop her up, tell her you love her, and move on.
What she learns: I bite, I lose attention.

Your 10-month-old loves to fling food onto the floor during meals.
What to do: Patiently say mealtime is over. (Don't worry about her starving. If she were hungry, she'd eat it instead of tossing it.)
What she learns: I throw my food, I lose it.

Your tot keeps grabbing ornaments.
What to do: For young kids, the temptation to touch may be too great. Put a safety gate around your tree or keep your baby out of the room it's in.
What she learns: I can't touch everything.

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