Vigorous Head Shaking

Updated on September 13, 2011
L.A. asks from Kew Gardens, NY
11 answers

Ladies -

Our sitter "taught" our son a new trick. He's 11 months old, and to hear the sitter tell it, while he was feeding our son, little guy shook his head "no." The sitter made a game of it, and shook his own head wildly. Little one then copied.

I think he enjoys it, and it might give him the same kind of euphoria that you would get from spinning around. Frankly, it looks a little freaky though, and definately makes him seem negative.

We've asked the sitter to work on teaching him good bye and clapping instead. Hubs and I are ignoring the new head shaking with hopes that he'll drop the haibit.

Any suggestions? Also, is this cause for concern?

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P.K.

answers from New York on

He will stop. It is a new game to him. Babies do strange things all the
time. You can't worry about everything they do or we will find you in the
home LOL. Just do not give it any attention.

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T.F.

answers from San Francisco on

LOL I remember my daughter and her friend doing this at about this age. They'd shake their heads as fast and as long as they could and then giggle, pretty funny. It is very possible he doesn't associate the action with "No" it probably does feel good and should. Movement spinning, shaking, etc. is very important for brain development in infants and toddlers.

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

At this age it's all about "I can, therefore, I DO!"
Normal & it will pass.

1 mom found this helpful

C.P.

answers from Columbia on

Monkey see, monkey do!

Try practicing a head nod for "yes!"

"Would you like this cracker?"

*NODS*

"Yes, please!'

Also, let your sitter know that little bones are soft. Be careful.

1 mom found this helpful

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

I wouldn't stress over this..the more you make of it - the more he'll do it..

it's new to him so he will find something new in a few short minutes, hours or days...

no stress...no cause for concern!!

1 mom found this helpful
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D.B.

answers from Chicago on

This too shall pass. He will soon forget about this, and move on to the "newest and best" thing. :) no worries.

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C.R.

answers from Chicago on

Honestly, I wouldn't worry about it too much.

My daughter did that when she was younger and yes she looked a bit crazy but she grew out of it (and then I started getting a high pitched scream "NO!" all the time :)

No reason for concern, if you don't like it simply don't encourage and just ignore it!

1 mom found this helpful

R.B.

answers from La Crosse on

my 3 & 4 yr old now use to do it all the time with each other whey they were 1 &2! They would sit across from each other and shake thier heads in the "no" motion as fast as they could, fall back, laugh and do it all over again. We would just sit and laugh at them. They are so silly. I asked my ped about it and was told that they cannot give themselves any shaken baby syndrome or harm themselves in any way. That if it hurt or bothered them, they wouldn't do it.

Right now its just a silly game, let him play it and it will pass when he finds his next fun game... maybe spinning in circles and getting dizzy kinda like the feeling he is getting now.

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D.B.

answers from Charlotte on

.

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M.B.

answers from Rochester on

B.,
Normal. My son taught us how to do it. Yours likely taught your sitter. She just claimed the fame for it.

He's 11 months old. it's acceptable in some cultures to shake head 'no' for 'yes'. Really. Just don't ask me which ones. Because I've forgotten already.

it's normal. Don't ignore your kid. Just accept that he's got something a little different for you. You didn't choose it. He did. Get used to that. ; ) he'll be doing a lot more in the future. You just aren't ready for it. : D

Good luck, it sounds like you have a little firecracker on your hands. Well, not really, but if you keep up the ignoring - you WILL have a firecracker on your hands.

One tired Mama who loves that your son is just being a baby!
M.

R.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

My little guy did this once upon a time, too, and went on to something else, as your son will ; )

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