Bite Down on Your Toddler’s Biting Habit
Somewhere between one and three years old, toddlers tend to start a biting habit. This is a normal phase of toddler development. The most frequent cause of this behavior is that there are only so many ways a toddler can communicate with those around him. Not all children are biters, however. Some grab, shove, pinch or punch. That can be just as bad!
Also, toddlers sometimes start biting because their motor skills and ability to communicate are so restricted, that they have to express themselves somehow.
A toddler will laugh when mommy suddenly jumps and screams, or if one of his friends starts wailing. Another reason for biting is that the toddler is teething or because they just think everything should go in their mouth so why not someone’s arm? Sometimes the problem is something as simple as hunger.
What are the ways in which your child can learn that biting is wrong? It has to be completely understood that biting is bad behaviour and can hurt others. Let them know how much pain the other kids feel when your toddler bites them. Be sure to let your toddler know that biting is not allowed, that it’s wrong, and that it makes you unhappy.
If you find that your child is biting due to frustration, give your toddler an alternative way to express to people they are having a difficult time. Even though teaching English seems to be a monumental task at this time, most toddlers can be taught words that are right for certain situations.
As an example, “When you need to tell mommy that you need some help, you can’t bite.” Or “Show mommy what you need, but don’t bite. Mommy will get hurt if you bite her, and I know that you don’t want to make mommy sad.” This might induce a sense of shame for their actions, and they may think twice the next time before biting someone.
As parents, you shouldn’t let biting become a big issue. This is the case for any behavior that you don’t want to become a habit. Gently but firmly tell the toddler that there is no biting allowed, that it is wrong and that it hurts all sorts of people – both big and small.
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Tagged with: toddler behavior • toddler biting • toddlers
Filed under: Family Topics
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