Around one and three years of age, a toddler will frequently begin to bite others. The most frequent cause of this behavior is that there are only so many ways a toddler can communicate with those around him. Not all children are biters, however. Some of them shove, hit, pinch or grab. That's probably just as bad!
Another reason that toddlers bite is that they feel frustrated because their motor and communication skills are so limited at this time.
A toddler will laugh when mommy suddenly jumps and screams, or if one of his friends starts wailing. Another reason for biting is that the toddler is teething or because they just think everything should go in their mouth so why not someone’s arm? Sometimes the problem is something as simple as hunger.
What means can you use to help your child learn not to bite? You need to communicate clearly that it's inappropriate and hurtful to bite. Let them know how much pain the other kids feel when your toddler bites them. Make sure you tell your toddler that biting is unacceptable and wrong and that mommy and daddy do not appreciate it.
If you think that your little one is biting out of frustration, help your toddler find another way to communicate that they're having a hard time. Although it seems a gargantuan effort for your toddler to communicate with words, this is a great time to start teaching them the right words for a situation.
For example, “You need to tell mommy or daddy that you need help and not bite us." Or "Let mommy know what you need, but no biting. You’ll hurt her if you bite, and I know you would never want to hurt mommy." This may bring a cloak of shame of what they are about to do and they may think their actions over again before actually biting.
As parents, you shouldn't let biting become a big issue. This will be true for any type of behavior that you want to discourage. Gently but firmly tell the toddler that there is no biting allowed, that it is wrong and that it hurts all sorts of people – both big and small.
Visit Toddlers Now for more great tips on raising a little one.
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