Biting

It is very common for toddlers to bite other children but that is no consolation when your child is either being bitten or the one doing the biting. Biting can occur for different reasons, most notably teething or frustration. At this stage your toddler is trying to express themselves in every way but speech and reasoning may not yet have caught up and so when a toy is taken away by another child for example, your toddler may be frustrated to the point of biting because they simply have no other way to express themselves.

Tips:

• Observation - As you become familiar with your toddler’s actions, you may be able to stop a bite before it occurs. If you see that your child is getting frustrated or angry – perhaps in the middle of a tussle over a toy – step in and redirect her attention to something else.
• Explain - after your toddler bites another child, look them in the eye and explain to them that biting hurts, and their friend is now sad. Encourage them to express that they are sorry by hugging their friend. As the adult, you too should focus your attention on the child who has been frightened or hurt by the bite. Give them hugs and perhaps cream for the area itself, often the attention another child receives after getting a bite is enough to stop the incident occurring again.
• Avoid playful nibbling or playfully biting your child may send mixed messages to them causing confusion, its best to avoid this altogether.
• The repeat offender - If your toddler continues biting it is very important you continue the above steps but carry out your chosen form of discipline with them eg time out, naughty step etc. Be very firm when saying “no biting, it is very sore” to them.

If you miss the action, but are told about it later, you can have a brief talk with your child about what happened. A child who bites a playmate more than once may need more guidance on how to handle frustration and anger. Reading toddler books on the topic, role-playing, and demonstration of appropriate actions can all help your child learn how to respond to his own emotions in socially appropriate ways.