Parenting : Biting

Biting
Toddlers do the foremost adorable things: offer surprising hugs, squeal with laughter, and cuddle up to you when they are tired.

But as any parent of a toddler can tell you, they additionally do some not-so-adorable things, like kick, scream ... or bite.

Biting is kind of common in children this age, however that is very little consolation if your toddler bites. After all, nobody desires their kid to be thought of the menace of the play cluster. And worse nonetheless, children who are labeled "biters" usually get excluded from childcare centers — a challenge that no operating parent desires to face.

You may suppose biting is simply another part you will have to measure through, however that is not essentially the case. There are ways that to induce to the lowest of your toddler's biting habit. Here's a way to facilitate curb this sort of behavior.


Why Toddlers Bite
Believe it or not, biting could be a traditional a part of early childhood development. Babies and toddlers bite for a spread of reasons, like teething or exploring a brand new toy or object with their mouth ("mouthing"). As they start to grasp cause-and-effect, they additionally would possibly bite someone to check if they will get a reaction.

Biting can also be the simplest way for toddlers to induce attention or categorical how they are feeling. Frustration, anger, and worry are robust emotions and toddlers lack the language skills to modify them. thus if cannot|they can not|they cannot} notice the words they have quickly enough or can't articulate how they are feeling, they'll resort to biting as the simplest way of claiming, "Pay attention to me!" or "I loathe that!"

Biting is slightly additional common in boys and tends to occur most frequently between the primary and second birthday. As language skills develop, thus do coping skills and biting tends to reduce.

How to Curb Biting
With biting, it is vital to deal with the behavior immediately once it happens. consequent time your kid bites another kid, separate the children concerned and check out these steps:

Step 1: Comfort the victim 1st. Direct your attention to the one who has been bitten, particularly if it's another kid. Addressing the wrong-doer 1st could reinforce this negative behavior if he or she bites to induce attention. If there's an injury, clean the world with soap and water and apply ice.
Step 2: Be calm and firm. Address your kid with a firm, "no biting!" or "biting hurts!" Keep it straightforward and straightforward for a toddler to grasp. build it clear that biting is wrong, however avoid lengthy explanations till your kid is sufficiently old to grasp. Remaining as calm as attainable can facilitate to resolve things additional quickly.
Step 3: Comfort the biter, if need be. Oftentimes, toddlers might not understand that biting hurts. It's alright to comfort a baby who is also feeling upset concerning hurting an exponent.
Step 4: provide alternatives. When things have calmed down, counsel alternatives to biting, like using the words "no," "stop," and "that's mine" when needing to communicate with others.
Step 5: Redirect. Distraction works wonders with children this age. If emotions and energy levels are running high or if boredom has set in, facilitate redirect alittle one's attention to a additional positive activity, like dancing to music, coloring, or taking part in a game.
Punishment is typically not necessary at this age, since biting is traditional and most children do not realize that their actions will cause damage to others.
If, on the opposite hand, you've got tried the steps higher than and therefore the behavior does not stop, timeouts is also effective. Older toddlers (2-3) is also taken to a chosen timeout space — a kitchen chair or bottom stair — for a second or 2 to settle down.

As a general rule, concerning one minute per year ancient could be a sensible guide for timeouts. Shorter timeouts are often effective, however longer ones don't have any additional advantage and might generally undermine your efforts if your kid gets up (and refuses to return) before you signal that the timeout has ended.
Creating a 'Bite-Free' atmosphere
Whether you're feeling like you've got created progress along with your child's biting habit or it continues to be a work-in-progress, it is vital to form a zero-tolerance culture at home and when out and concerning.

Here are some ways that to induce your kid back on the correct track:

Be consistent. Reinforce the "No biting" rule in the least times.
Use positive reinforcement. instead of reward negative actions with attention, build it a degree to praise your kid when he or she is behaves well. this might facilitate stop your kid from biting within the 1st place.
Plan ahead. Toddlers may well be lighter and not feel the urge to bite if they grasp what to expect in new or high-energy things. If biting happens at daycare, tell your kid what to expect every day. If a bigger, additional chaotic atmosphere looks overwhelming, you would possibly think about putting your kid in an exceedingly smaller setting.
Find alternatives. As your child's language skills develop, you'll facilitate him or her notice different, safer ways that to specific negative emotions. for instance, asking kids to "use their words" when pissed off or upset will facilitate calm them. If you wish facilitate, a doctor, counselor, or behavioral specialist will discuss ways that to show your kid to manage robust emotions and categorical feelings in an exceedingly healthy method.
When to hunt facilitate
Although biting is common in babies and toddlers, excessive biting and different hostile behaviors would possibly indicate that one thing is troubling your kid. Also, biting that continues past 2½ to three years ancient may well be a symptom of one thing else.

If you are involved concerning your child's behavior, check with your pediatrician concerning checking out its causes moreover as ways that to modify it.