Things that make you know you're doing something right.

[Aliantha]

Originally Posted by Stormieweather

Aliantha, you left out the most common meaning ascribed to "manipulate" that I found in ALL definitions:


Babies can't be spoiled and they don't know how to manipulate.

From the The Science of Parenting

I got my definition from dictionary.com. I simply cut and pasted the first list of definitions. There were 7 others after, but I felt the first on the list should be fine.

Of course you can attribute manipulative behaviour to devious behaviour is you like. It makes the word sound 'bad'. That's fine.

Let's use a different phrase then.

Babies are completely capable of 'modifying' their behaviour in order to get what they want whether it is a need or not.

You can argue your personal beliefs on how to raise a child as much as you like and quite frankly, I more or less agree with you however, my argument is that children and babies do 'modify' their behaviour in order to get their own way.

If you don't think you've ever been manipulated by a child or babys' behaviour, that's ok. Maybe you're a super parent, but I wouldn't believe you if you said you hadn't. Human beings are born with an inherant selfishness and they'll do just about anything to get their own way, particularly as a baby when they are the centre of their own universe. Maybe it sounds terrible, but it's the truth.