My son has been talking back and hitting!

Agustin - posted on 10/25/2010

My sons 16 months. He occasionally (maybe a few times a week) would tap tap my head or his when he's really frustrated at something or other or just too tired and I'm not hearing him. I'll say to him straight away face to face "OUCH! that hurt mummy. Please don't do that!. Now, say sorry and cuddle mummy" He stops right away and stare to see what i would act next and then cuddles. He can't say sorry yet but i know he is sorry as he moans as a sign. He understands that what he did is wrong. This seems to work as he likes to feel comforted and know that I'm listening to him now. Time out chair won't work for him as he's an overly active boy and he won't understand what it all means yet. He'll just run off!

Heidi - posted on 10/23/2010

ya my through a fit . he hit, bite some times. i tried time it dose not worrk. he 15 months

Anita - posted on 10/17/2010

I am currently dealing with the terrible two's as well. Except my son doesn't say sorry, he just laughs and runs away! Do you think your son think's it's a game? I don't think they understand the concept of the word 'sorry' at this stage? I don't really know the solution here but I would try either ignoring the behaviour or putting him in his room for time out, I have done that with my 2 year old (even before he turned 2). Another thing that is currently working with us is a Rewards Chart for general good behaviour. I buy the really fancy stickers too and let him put the sticker on the chart himslef. I find myself bribing him with the reward chart everyday by saying things such as 'if you listen to Mummy and do what I say you can have a sticker to put on your chart' and he does it straight away!! It's like magic lol. Good luck with everything.

Kayla - posted on 10/14/2010

Don't worry he's not going through it early. It is normal. The terrible 2s are only called that cause it's catchy. The phase really last from anywhere from a year to 3 yrs old. And time out's are a great idea if he gets the concept. My son is young enough still that it is a consistent no, and taking him away from whatever he was doing, and then either distraction or if he throws a tantrum ignoring him. Anyway good luck!

Lisa - posted on 10/12/2010

Time out takes awhile but it really does wonders. I have a 2 yr old and a 1 yr old. My 2 yr got a letter home from daycare recently saying he has been being disruptive to toys, his carer and the other children. She said he had been biting, hitting, kicking and stealing lunches out of the fridge and eating them under the table (He broke the lock on my fridge at home too, he eats none stop).... It took me three days of constant time outs... i put him there and hed go nuts and scream and kick and run off... id put him back and we'd do the same things for hours. After 3 days telling him why he was there and then just putting him back in silence and walking away each time he finally doesnt act violently at all and is back to being sweet and cuddly. I find that my 16mnth old gets upset when hes in time out because he doesnt quite understand but hes starting to make the connection like his brother did before him (before i gave up on time outs and he became so naughty) that if you hit or yell at ppl or hurt ppl in anyway u go in your cot or sit on the stair for a few minutes.

Catherine - posted on 10/12/2010

lol.. Tara I agree. Sometimes I feel like I need a time out!

Tara - posted on 10/12/2010

We started putting our 15 month old in "time-out" a couple of months ago. It didn't really stick but it helped me a lot. Sometimes, it's not just about giving THEM the "time-out".

Mele - posted on 10/12/2010

My son is almost 16 months and he is hitting me (sometimes) but mostly answers back when i growl him. He will tell me to GO AWAY or STOP IT and hit me. I put him on time out facing the wall for 1min and he will sit there the whole time, but at the end of it he is all better and will give me a kiss.. =)

Laura - posted on 10/12/2010

these behaviors must be corrected and so if you feel the time out chair is in order then you must go with your fellings on this. you know your child and you know what type of punishment will work best :) best of luck!!!

Rachel - posted on 10/10/2010

My daughter Sophie, is not saying a lot, but she has gone through a spell where she was hitting as well when she got fustrated. I started Time Out about 2 months ago and she knows that she has to stay ther until I tell her to get up. 1-2 minutes in Time Out when she has done something wrong has made a world of difference. It is not too early.



After reading the other posts, I just wanted to tell all you Moms and Dads that what I have found to work in our home with Time Out is to find a place in each room that you spend most of your time in. For me I place Sophie on the floor next to the couch. I didn't use her bed because she likes to go to bed and I didn't want to have her get upset at bedtime thinking that she had done something wrong. , but if it works for anyone else, I am not in any way that is wrong. Good luck and I hope in years to come we can look back and tell our sons and daughters that we went through all of this when we are helping them with thier children.

Kimberly - posted on 10/10/2010

You are not the only one. My son is 16 months old and has been hitting, throwing and just being mean in general since he turned one. Now he is climbing furniture and standing on top of chairs. What I have found to work is distracting him by taking him away from whatever he is doing that is bad and doing something else. As for the hitting we are still working on it. I think the time out idea is a very good idea. I am still finding out what works the best. Good luck

Catherine - posted on 10/08/2010

My son is a June 18th baby, so he's getting close to 16months as well, and has started showing his frustration by throwing his back, back and making frustrated sounds. I was talking to my mom last night and she told me that's how it was with myself and my siblings. She always found it harder from 1-2 years than from 2-3 years since by then, we were much more verbal, and able to understand that to wait one minute, meant to wait, and when we got time-outs, we more understood why. I've put my son on a time out, but I know he didn't understand it, but it was enough to change his attention. I think it's all about talking and diversion at this age. You can explain why they shouldn't do something (even if they dont understand you.. it's good practice!) and then divert their attention to something else and usually that behaviour stops. Good luck!

Robin - posted on 10/07/2010

we have been having time out for ages already... since about 12 months! i started by saying 'oh your grumpy... you must be tired... tired girls go to bed" pick her up and put her in bed til she stops crying... then go into her and say 'are you finished now?" she would nod at me and i'd let her out!

as far as hitting, we have it occassionall... mostly when my daughter is over tired or being ignored while im tending to her little sister. i just firmly but not harshly grab her hand, stop the action and say 'no hitting'! if she does it again, i grab her hand again but this time i gently push her away and say 'no hitting, if you cant play nice you cant play at all!". so far it seems to be working.

Melissa - posted on 10/06/2010

Yeah my daughter went through the biting phase, and I ignored it. She has not bitten me in a couple of months now.. But now she has started the hitting and throwing fits on the floor. I now put her in her pack in play for a 'time out'. I only put her in there till she stops crying and sits there quietly for about a minute or so. Now it has calmed down a little she does not hit as often as she was. All I have to say is you're going to 'time out' and she kind of forgets about it and goes and does her own thing. I do not think it is too young to have a time out for your son. He'll get the point that what he is doing is not right and then eventually start something new. Good luck!

Madlyn - posted on 10/05/2010

yup, i hear you. my daughter is also biting aswell as hitting! i've tried the bold chair but it doesn't work. either that or she's too young! my new mantra is ignore the bad and praise the good! here's hoping . . . haha!