DS hitting. WDYD?

buboo

DS likes to hit my face, he does not really hit anyone else besides me and MIL (a few times). He hits kinda hard and it actually hurts a bit. I know he is not trying to hurt me but I am not sure how to handle the situation

I have told him "no" and "no hitting" and "be gentle" but he does still hit sometimes.  How do you deal with this situation with your LO?

HotForTeacher

DS used to do this to me (and still does sometimes).  If I'm holding him, I just put him down on the floor and tell him "no hit."  He usually cries, and I let him for a few seconds.  Then I'll go over and pick him up.  If he hits again, I put him back down.  This seemed to work for me.

MrsBatty

I would take his hand and remove it from my face firmly.

I'd do this while telling him "No hitting."  Or  "Don't hit." 

Then I'd also set him down away from me or the person he is hitting (like pp said.) 

Daisy582

Lurking here but we also have the same problem. I know that Cam is not hitting in a mean way, (just an excited way) but I still want to break this behavior before it becomes any worse. The other day my FIL was letting Cam lay on his chest and was laughing every time Cam smacked at him. He got all huffy when I asked him to move Cam away and not respond to his smacking or turn it into a game. Sometimes I have to bite my tongue to keep from saying something I will regret...

Purrrfect433

I try to use positive discipline and say, "Oh, Callie!{insert sad face and voice}.Soft hands, please." or "Hitting hurts! Gentle hands, please!" and "Hands are for clapping! Clap! Clap!" instead of "No hitting". I agree that putting them down, removing yourself from their reach or moving them away from whoever they are hitting is also great advice. My toddler just entered the hitting phase. She started hitting because she liked the reaction she got. She'd repeat "Ow!" which we all thought was hilarious. Now she's hitting out of frustration and we're kicking ourselves for laughing in the beginning;)

Telling her to use soft hands and showing how to be gentle can usually work to distract and redirect her. Saying "No!" just makes her cry and then it's no longer a learning moment; it's then  about soothing her and calming her down. I want her to learn how to be gentle, not just learn not to hit, kwim?

katiekate1974

At his age, the best you can do is tell him "please be gentle with mommy" and show him an appropriate use of his hands (we flattened his hands and would "pet" our face with it and say "gentle"). It's a normal developmental stage and will pass. I promise! But it is sooooo frustrating!

esutton76

My DS hits me too, but he also hits his dad and our dachshunds.  He also throws toys at us.  I think he does it out of excitement, but we don't want him hitting or throwing.  DS knows how to pet the dogs gently (he will sometimes say "gentle" as he is petting...very cute), but sometimes as he is petting he will hit.  Our dogs are very good, but they are still dogs and could bite him.  

I don't know how to get him to stop, but I try to explain to him on his level that hitting hurts and it isn't a very nice thing to do.  

I really hope the hitting and throwing stops soon, but I'm not holding my breath.  :-( 

Good luck! 

buboo

katiekate1974:

At his age, the best you can do is tell him "please be gentle with mommy" and show him an appropriate use of his hands (we flattened his hands and would "pet" our face with it and say "gentle"). It's a normal developmental stage and will pass. I promise! But it is sooooo frustrating!

Yes, I have tried this as well! Almost like petting my face saying "gentle" So that he can touch me just not as hard! .I think he just gets excited and since he is around me the most I get the excited *hits*.

I will try setting him down the next time he does it like pp mentioned. I know its just a stage  I just want him to know that he shouldn't do it so it does not become worse.