Discipline...at what age?

Maximus has learnt the trick and trait! He knows that when he cries, he will get what he wants. He will continue to throw his tantrum and pretending to cry (more like crocodile tears) with eyes shut and doesn't back down until he gets it. I have to give in most of the times (sob! I lost to a 6 months old) because soon the pretend cry will become real crying till he sobs and teary. Phew! When he throws his tantrum he does it with all his heart and might! He will bounce his body up and down in his walker or kick and rub his feet nonstop when he is in bed and both with eyes shut refusing to look at me! This is really bad!... But on the contrary, I want to start to discipline him now so that he won't be spoilt! It's won't an easy task!

Reflect from an incident that happened...That previous Saturday, Maximus was bouncing his body in the walker wanted badly to have the spoon when I was feeding him. My MIL afraid that he might injure himself asked me to just give it to him! Should I? At the end, I stopped the feeding and calm him. I carried Maximus and when he was calm I wanted to reinforce my point to him, but he just refused to look at me. Wow! What a character! I still insisted to reinforce my point to him at the moment so that my message gets across to him. I do hope that he does understand.

Being in early childhood and having all the skills, I thought I know how to handle this... but I don't! I tired whatever I have learnt and know from the books but in vain. I felt a little insulted when my MIL said "Well, you said you know how to teach your son..." Ah...that's like a sting to my ears. But I won't give up! Surely one day I will be in control... but I do not wish to use force or hard punishment on him. I want to be firm but yet being respectable. I want to establish the process of learning through discipline. I hope to enforce independence and good behaviour in him even as young as he is now. I want him to learn rules in a caring atmosphere and hence I will not just give it to him what he wants but to calm him and ensure him that I love him very much first. I know this does take a lot of practises and patients... wisdom from God too.

A 6 months old plus baby, will he understand reasoning? Or just like what my FIL murmured "He is still a baby and won't understand me!" Which is true? Turning to my books...I read that baby's understanding of discipline develops gradually during the first 15 months. But until the age of 6 months at the earliest he does understand rules. So, I want believe that he does understand me very well. I hope I won't get frustrated along the way... If I can handle other people's children (during my years of teaching) I should be able to handle my own son! Hmmm... fingers cross!

Then am I suppose to believe that whatever I have learnt in my course (early childhood education), from the books and gained from my life-experiences are not worth to put into practise? I am sure that this will be a one-up pointer for me in my motherhood, or am I wrong? Should I always be running back to the books when there is a situation occurs or should I just learn along the way? Disciplining a baby is more likely a long-term approach... "Consistency" is the key-word. I am sure that I can do it with this knowledge that I have learnt! I have the benefits of all...