Question For Parents

[halifaxhoney]

I'm posting this on behalf of a friend of mine with two children ages 2 and 1.

They have major biting problems and her youngest is really agressive (biting, smacking etc...).

She is so frustrated with this and she is wondering if there is anything that she can do to stop this behavoir.

 

[andiesmama]

Andie bit me one time, I simply told her that if she felt the need to bite somebody, she should bite herself! So she did...needless to say, we've not had a problem since with biting.

I haven't really had a problem with her hitting, either. She's tried it a couple times, I just tell her (in a REALLY stern voice I only use occasionally) that hitting is NOT something we do in our house, it is NOT nice, etc. She would only do it when she was frustrated about not being able to communicate with me. Now that she's 3 and can talk much better to get her point across, I've not run across the problem.

 

[halifaxhoney]

Her son bit me once and it really hurt. I cried and he came over and hugged me and he never bit me again.

Her daughter is the toughie. It's just getting to be really exhausting for her. She's tried alot of things.

Thanks andiesmama for your insight.

 

[Joykins]

My oldest was aggressive for a while as a baby/toddler. It went back and forth between hairpulling, hitting, biting...it was a horrible couple of months.

We always said, "No! We don't hit." in a stern tone of voice and put him into a timeout (high chair, playpen, something like that which he didn't like, away from the fun) for a few minutes.

It took a long time for him to "get it", but right now he is the sweetest boy (he is 4). If the child is pretty determined to be aggressive it can take a long time for them to learn that it is counterproductive and always will have a consequence.

 

[andiesmama]

it is counterproductive and always will have a consequence.

That's the key, right there! ALWAYS having a consequence...being consistent about the punishment, that kind of thing...

 

[Johnnz]

Its not uncommon for younger children to bite. They have alinied emotional repetoire, they cannot speak clearly, and they are discovering they have a will. Crying, tantrums, hitting, etc are similar expressions of childhood.

Firm, loving parents (no hitting needed here in most cases) are what's needed,a nd most kids just gro wout of it. But bit issueing other challenges as they become more sophisticated.

John
NZ

 

[Shok]

With my stubborn kids as a last resort we would spank if we caught them in the act. It was never a problem after that.

Shok