My baby's violent

amenemorte

My son is 8 months old. He flails his arms and he slaps everything. He slaps you on the chest or face whenever you pick him up. He's just excited, he's a super happy baby, but sometimes it can hurt because he flails pretty hard. I have to watch him like a hawk when he's around the cats or other babies, and I have to warn people when they pick him up.

Is there something I can do to get him to understand that he's supposed to be gentle?

Chicky0727

Haha. My LO does the same thing! She gets all crazy and excited so her hands and fists go everywhere. It does get pretty painful. When she does do that i say owie. Not that she knows what it means just yet and i say gentle.

sherbetlemon

My LO does the same thing. When he is with our pets, I take his hand and pet them softly with it while saying "gentle" really softly. If he grabs at them, I say  "no" firmly and then repeat the gentle thing. After the first few minutes each time, he catches on.

RosieBcheeks98

Yup same thing over here.  As a matter of fact Cooper just slapped me across the face.

drea_raye

I don't know when they can actually associate, but I have already started the practice with J (just to build good habits myself if nothing else.) Now that he has started to notice the cats I help him pet them and say things like "nice kitty, soft kitty, Pockets likes it when you pet him soft soft soft. Oh we don't grab the kitty he doesn't like that" (While gently opening his hands). I don't know that it totally works (since he is still clamping at times) but he did "pet" his bear instead of just grabbing it and nomming it yesterday.

With me I try to redirect his hand and say "ow, mommy doesn't like it when you grab her face" or just "we don't hit".

I have been talking to him like that all along though. I ask him to help through diaper changes and getting dressed and thank him the whole time. I figure when he starts to get it, it will already be a routine.