It can be incredibly upsetting and alarming you when your
toddler bites. Not only are you shocked at your own child's behavior,
but sometimes you will be dealing with another child's very angry
parents too! Biting is dangerous and unacceptable, and you will have to
meet the problem head-on and act quickly to prevent the problem getting
worse. The following tips will give you some ideas of how to cope with
your biting toddler:
Get to the Core of Your Toddler’s Anger
If your toddler bites in anger, ask yourself what might be causing this
change of mood in your toddler. Have there been any changes in your
toddler’s life lately? Is your toddler reacting in anger? If your
toddler hasn’t been socialized with his children his age, this could be
another cause of anger.
Stay Calm
If you are already dealing with a biting problem and have lost your cool
with your toddler, don’t feel bad. Parents commonly overreact to toddler
biting. However, shouting or spanking your child probably will not help
the situation. Model the behaviour you expect from your child. Take a
deep breath and count to ten. When you are calm, you are better able to
handle a bite incident.
Warn Her of the Dangers of Biting
Even though toddlers are just learning to talk, they are old enough to
understand pain. They are also old enough to understand cause and
effect. In a calm, but firm voice, explain to your toddler why she
shouldn’t bite. Let her know that biting hurts and she shouldn’t do it.
Teach Him To Use His Words
Some toddlers start talking earlier than others. As your toddler grows
and learns how to talk, teach him to use special words to express his
feelings. “Tommy mad,” or “Suzie sad,” are just a couple of examples. If
your toddler is biting but is still too young to speak, try using baby
sign language instead. You can make up your own signs for pain, hurt,
no, bad, etc.
Set Her Up for Success
If your toddler seems to have trouble socializing in certain situations,
don’t place her in that situation. Give your toddler the best chance of
success by placing her in a situation where there is no opportunity for
trouble. By setting your child up for success, you can show her that she
can play and socialize with other children without biting. As you see
your toddler’s behaviour improving, gradually introduce her to more
challenging situations.
Praise Your Toddler
Calling attention to negative behaviour and its consequences is
important. Don’t forget to praise your toddler when he does well,
though. Pointing out and rewarding positive actions will help your
toddler to remember the desired behaviour and reaction.
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