xp: how to handle biting?

jerseygirl81

Baby Charlie has started biting us, but thankfully is not yet biting the other kids at daycare. How have you handled this problem?

alisonada

We (knock on wood) haven't had that problem, but I had to say that I love your siggy! Especially the bottom-right pic, he looks so happy!

hannah&ben

I always put a finger over the kids mouths (like you're doing the "ssshhhh" thing on them) with just a little pressure.. nothing even close to a smack or anything like that... just pressure with your finger to let him know what part you are specifically talking about... and say "No biting" or "No bite" pretty firmly... but not yelling.

Oh, I'd also immediately put them down on the floor for a few moments if I was holding one of them and they bit me...  and do the finger thing.

Takes a while but eventually they get the association... 

jerseygirl81

Thanks Alison! It's getting much harder to take his monthly picture now that he's mobile

I'll try that, Hannah. It's mostly an issue when I'm holding him, he bites my shoulder pretty hard.

PreemiesRuleBulliesDrool

Ditto Hannah except that I kind of press the side of his cheeks and say 'no!' very firmly.  This has really worked for us, good luck.

adamsbabble

Ava had a VERY short lived biting phase.  She was also only biting us and not other children.  I ignored it completely, just pulled my hand (or whatever she was going for) away and went on about my business like she hadn't even done anything.  The whole biting issue was over and done with pretty quickly.  I do the same thing with temper tantrums, etc.  Obviously that isn't always going to work and if the problem is escalating, then they have to be corrected and have their limits made clear to them... but I usually try to see if not giving any attention to the problem will work before I do anything else.  Negative attention is still attention nonetheless, and I don't want her to think that acting out is the way to go about getting it.