Biting update

Malibu45

I wrote a few weeks ago about biting but the problem has not gotten better. DD is 18 months and pretty much only bites me, sometimes DH. It is clear she is doing it to get attention because every time she does it she laughs after. She has never done it out of frustration or when she is upset. We have been consistent with the way we are responding...firmly telling her no biting but with a neutral reaction, removing her from the activity she is in or a toy she is playing with. Proactively I have been reinforcing her intermittently throughout the day with tiny pieces of a tag along cookie (she only gets this cookie as reinforcement for good behavior, specifically not biting). With all of these strategies I am seeing a decrease in the behavior but it is still there. I am so frustrated and feel like I am failing. I am a SPED teacher and teach Childrens with severe autistic spectrum disorders and other developmental delays. My students have severe behavioral issues so I am very familiar with addressing issues. At work I know exactly what to do but I feel like at home I have no idea what to do! It's so bizarre and I am feeling defeated. Any tips??

tbmadeamistake

Be a little less neutral. Show her that it hurts you. It might upset her a bit but I'm sure it would help. She needs to learn that we don't bite because it hurts, rather than simply that we don't bite. Also, I'm not sure if at 18 months she is old enough to really comprehend that the cookies are for not buying, unless she stops mid-bite and gets it.

Malibu45

I did try that as well. I acted upset and like she really hurt (which she did) and she was laughing hysterically at me and that fueled her to keep trying to bite. I agree I don't think she is understanding it either but I figure being proactive and reinforcing positive behavior can't hurt anything. I'll try again to show her that it hurts me and see if it is any different this time.

Malibu45

I appreciate the suggestion though and I will try again

SharonB222

My update is that DS is still biting DH from time to time and DH continues to react playfully - although will call a stop if it's too much. (BTW - I am reading the book "Playful Parenting"; apparently my DH is a natural in some ways.) It's worked out fabulously here - DS does not bite anyone else and I am 95% confident he understands the boundary for biting is play with Papi. That said, DS hit me in the stomach today (to test) and I have %0 tolerance for that - hmmmm, back to my book. Glad it's better for you!