My son is a bully!

stlmomma27

My son is a bully! What do I do about this?

I nanny two kids, the girl (2.5), the boy (13 weeks). He's so sweet to the baby, but he is a bully to the girl. Anything she has, he tries to take or pushes. If I try to correct him, he either smacks my hand or throws whatever. Sometimes he will drop to the ground. 

I have been doing time-outs and I've tried popping him on the butt or thigh. Nothing is working. I need some advice.

sdlaura

According to our in home daycare provider, who has been taking care of kids for 30 years, 'it's like Lord of the Flies' until kids are at least 3 - they really don't get sharing. Her tactic is to try to get the kids to take turns, or to take away a toy if they can't. Of course physical stuff is different - in that case we just emphasize that hitting/pushing/biting are just things that we don't do. I don't believe in physical punishment, but would try just putting DD in her crib or room away from the other kids if she did that.

SJandVA

I don't think there is much you can do but to redirect, take the toy away, time out. You probably won't see any immediate change but it's setting up the ground work and your expectations.