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Toddlers Biting – Make It Stop Quickly

10.18.2009 · Posted in Home and Garden Articles

Surely you have heard the idea that biting back a child that bites is the fastest way to get them to stop. It was told to me so often that I got ill when my child was biting other kids at day care. I never wanted to bite my child and I wasn’t willing to do it. It just didn’t seem like a good idea – teach him to stop doing something by doing it to him. No thanks. I was certain there was a better way.nnToddlers Biting – Could Be A Symptom. Your child is not going to be able to tell you adequately why they bit someone – not unless the biting happened in a much older child. But we are talking about toddlers. Don’t bother asking them why they did it. There is no good answer here. Be a detective! Here are just a few possible reasons:nn* They wanted to play with a toy or object someone else was playing with.nn* They were put into a situation where they were hurt or injured by another toddler.nn* They wanted attention.nnThe list above is just a starter so don’t get lazy. You have to figure it out for your own child. You need to know what motivates them to do the biting. It will go a long way in helping them stop.nnFocusing On the CausennBy understanding the why of the biting you can better approach your child with a solution. If they wanted a toy – does your child have a way of communicating that? Do they have words to use or are they frustrated because they have no idea how to ask? If other children the same age are using words to ask, you may want to consider a quick local screening for speech delay. With the right resources your child can catch up before school starts and be WAY better off! Mine sure was (he was a biter and had a speech delay – now he reads a grade level above his current grade)nnTalk is Cheap – Start TeachingnnThis is a child we are talking about. You could talk until you are blue in the face and things would not necessary change. Teach your child what is expected. Give them a chance to practice over and over again. Show them that your method works. Do NOT let them get what they want when they bite. That only encourages the behavior.nnBe Proactive With Positive BehaviorsnnBe aware of what your child does well. Make sure that you can see the signs of a biting about to happen. When you see it happening, intervene. Get them to do something else or remove them from the situation. Stopping a biting is much easier if you can catch it prior to the initial speedy lunge!

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