Children and Biting: What’s a Parent to Do?
If your child has a tendency to bite others it can be very distressing. For some reason, we view this type of behavior as a reflection on our parenting skills. Many parents are flummoxed when it comes to stopping their child from biting. There are a few things you can do to minimize or completely stop this socially unacceptable behavior.
Most young children experiment with biting at one time or another during their development. This is often seen in a pre-school setting when the child is a toddler. What you can do as a parent is to start off with a firm “NO!” Immediately remove the child from the situation. You can then mete out an appropriate consequence such as a time out, or the removal of the object that started the melee in the first place.
Always lavish affection on the child who has been bitten. This shows your child that the victim deserves sympathy while they are reaping the negative fruits of their actions. If you notice a situation arising where your child may be likely to bite again, keep a close eye out to watch the interaction and be near to diffuse the situation should the child attempt to bite.
Never bite the child back in retaliation. This only reinforces negative behavior. Approach the situation with a positive attitude. Explain to your child that no-one will want to play with him if he continues to bite others.
Children bite for many reasons; one reason may be a defense bite. Sometimes when a child is being bullied the only way they know to strike back is to bite. Some children do their biting when they become frustrated. You may have to become your child’s shadow for a while to ensure that they are not biting for any reason whatsoever. If you want to learn more about how to stop your child from biting, visit Childcare
Filed under: Discipline
