Toddler and Biting: How to control and eliminate this habit

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 Toddler and Biting How to control and eliminate this habit

Before getting horrified, keep in mind that toddlers bite due to several reasons- they are angry, copying the behavior of adults, teething, curious, frustrated, trying to get what they want or simply want attention from people around them.

One of the first things to consider in dealing with a biter is the age of the toddler. Baby toddler, around 2 years of age is the one prone to biting. No need to worry though as biting is an age appropriate response for toddler this age, who evidently yet to have the verbal and social skills needed to express his needs in more acceptable ways.

As a parent, it’s best to look at your toddler’s biting as a form of communication rather than just a nasty toddler behavior that needs to be removed. Once you do this, you’ll be able to have more choices on how to deal with your child’s biting.

But if your toddler still does it as he grows up, you must put a stop to it before it gets worse. The first thing you must learn when disciplining a toddler is that you must act firmly and without any traces of hesitation.

  • Be firm. Firmly say, “Don’t bite” and remove your child from the situation.
  • Be firm not angry. Keep your cool because yelling, hitting, and telling your toddler that he’s bad won’t make him/her stop. You’re just giving him examples of things he might try.
  • Be alert of the situation. Observe your toddler’s behavior. Anger and frustration can easily lead to biting so get a hold of your toddler, calm him down, and ask him the reason of his emotional outburst.
  • Encourage and promote good behavior. Lead by example. Talk to your toddler about the right ways on how he can express his feeling without being violent. Give your child opportunity to practice his social skills by signing him up on school plays, summer camps, and other activities.
  • Set clear boundaries. Try to react as soon as possible whenever your toddler becomes aggressive. Don’t wait until he hits someone for the third time before you say, “That’s enough.” Your toddler should know right away when he’s done something wrong.
  • Reward good behavior. Instead of noticing your child when he’s done something wrong, try also to catch him being good too.

Disciplining your child takes a lot of your strength and will definitely test your patience. Understanding where all these emotions are coming from and giving him a healthy environment to live in will tremendously help you bring up your toddler properly and avoid having an angry child who’s constantly violent.

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