The Changing Table Debate

I just thought I'd post a quick update about our changing table debate! (If you missed the original post on this topic, you can read it here. THANKS to all of you who made comments with suggestions and sympathy - it really helps to know we're not alone!) We decided to keep fighting it out. We want Elias to learn to obey his parents, especially in situations where he could get hurt. So he needs to learn what "No" means, and we feel like this is a good place to start. Thinking about it, that's the whole reason we did the BabyWise program in the first place. (Well, that and we wanted to be able to sleep at night!) We felt that we wanted to start from the very beginning establishing Daddy and Mommy as the leaders of the home - Elias is NOT the boss! We want him to learn to trust us as people who love him, want what's best for him, and know better than him what is best, and we want him to learn to obey us as his authority figures. This will set him up to learn to trust and obey God later in his life! So I know that's adding a deeper dimension to just a silly problem with rolling over on the changing table, but we want to be parents who think about this stuff and teach Elias the significance behind even the most mundane decisions.

So anyways, all that to say, every time Elias rolls over on the changing table, we roll him back over and tell him "No!" He got mad at first, but he's already stopped resisting as much. It also helps that I think I found THE toy that will distract him - a large stuffed elephant with crinkly ears that you pull its trunk and it plays music. (A hand-me-down from my sis - THANKS, Jess!) It's only been a couple days, but I've never had him roll over on the changing table when he has Elly Fent in his hands!