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and being called upon to try to figure out what the words of his mother's explanation mean. A younger baby/toddler isn't going to really understand the words much of the time, but that isn't really the point. Not only is his brain gaining experience in having its "willy-nilly" exploring interrupted, and not only is his brain being called upon to stop for a minute and try to figure out what his mother is saying, but he will eventually learn each of those few things in the house that will always get the same reaction from his mother. He'll figure out that even though he'd like to check out the outlet or pick up the cat he shouldn't bother because he'll be stopped. At this point the baby or toddler is actually exercising self-control; and the more chance he gets to practice doing that, the more experienced his brain will become at using self-control.

Its important that the limits be few in number because too many limits would mean the baby or toddler is being stopped every time he tries to explore anything at all. There should be more than one off-limits thing, though, because without more than one the baby may not "put two and two together" when it comes to getting the idea. Having these few, sensible, limits set for a baby or toddler doesn't prevent him from exploring and having freedom. It just gives him experience stopping and thinking every once in a while. When a baby or toddler is going around and exploring whatever he wants his brain is getting experience in one type of thinking. When he is required to stop, consider, try to figure out why he was stopped, and adjust his actions his brain is gaining experience with a different type of thinking.

Offering a simple explanation also helps build the toddler's vocabulary, because even though he may not understand exactly what "burn" means if his mother takes him away from an electrical outlet and says, "Ooh - that will burn my baby," he'll get the idea that the word, "burn", means something unpleasant. This type of thing offers a foundation for expanding vocabulary, and a better vocabulary helps the child understand future limits (and everything else) better.

Children have the potential to develop certain brain connections in the first three years of life, and if the right connections (synapses) are not nurtured during that time the potential to develop them is gone forever. This is precisely why it makes sense to try to develop the foundation for self-control during this time.

Another way to help a baby develop

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