How can I get my son to stop hitting me?

Jessica - posted on 10/02/2010

If he is doing something he knows he shouldn't do you should spank him, not a tap on the hand, but a good firm spanking on the backside. This is not teaching him to hit, it is teaching him that there is a consequence for his actions, and sometimes consequences hurt. You have to be firm, not sad or wishy, washy, firm and matter-of-fact, you are the mom and know what is best for him. Once the spanking is over and he has calmed down, you pick him up and love on him, forgive him and do not talk about the misdeed.

Dana - posted on 10/02/2010

My dear, I am a mother of three, run a home daycare for over 12 years now and have a college degree in child development specializing in behaviour issues. So I know what I'm talking about when I tell you that at 14 months of age, time outs will not work. Their brains have not developed enough to allow that logical connection between their bad behaviour and time outs. Children at a young age tend to bit or hit when they are not yet capable of expressing themselves thru language. This behaviour is best corrected by showing a young child that what they are doing is hurting you followed by NO attention from you for a short period of time. This does not mean you hit them back or bit them back to show how this hurts. A child does not need to feel the accual pain in order to feel remorse of the pain they have caused. Instead, tell your son what he did hurt. Make sure they seen you very sad and nursing your wounds without paying any attention to him. Do not cuddle, talk, hold or make eye contact with your son for a few minutes (1-2 minutes for this age) If your son comes to you during this time, ignore him and look away, walk away and don't engage him. This is the reverse of putting him into time out. This is putting yourself into time out. Your child does not hate you my dear. In fact, this technique is based on the fact that your child does love you and needs you. By showing thru this method you will turn this behaviour around very quickly. Your child loves you and wants to please you very much and needs your attention and affection. Taking this away when he bites or hits you, this behaviour is reversed within a week or less if used in a consistant way. Of course, after this time out period go to your son and remind him why you were upset and hurt. Then if he tells you he is sorry, hug and tell him you forgive him and still love him. Then move on in your day. Don't lingere on the hug because that would incourage the bad behaviour. Hope this helps.

Tanith - posted on 10/02/2010

My son did that to me and I gave him a bladdy good hiding, he never did it again. I don't take that s***. "Spare the rod and spoil the child". It's embarrassing in public. I put an end to it the same day.

Amy - posted on 10/02/2010

He is 14 months old. Talking won't do any good. He doesn't speak English yet! When he hits, or better when he starts to swing at you, grab his hand and say no. Frown as hard as you can. Make eye contact. Do this every time. It shouldn't take long for him to get he message. An additional technique is to touch your face gently with his hand and smile. The basic lesson is that you must use body language, facial expressions, simple words or phrases, and tone of voice to get the message across. Explainations can come when he is older.

Lizandra - posted on 10/01/2010

I had and still have this problem sometimes with my son. I have learned that by saying no and then showing him a nice way of touching, like stroking his hand helps. Remember our children copy EVERY little thing we do, so by hitting him, he thinks its ok. hope that helps.

Christina - posted on 10/01/2010

If my kids hit me, I would grab both of their hands in mine, firmly but not in a mean way. Get down on their level & look them in the eye - then directly say, "You do NOT hit your mama!", and then give a hug. It's not an issue, so maybe your son is trying to get your attention, or is frustrated at something else. But I believe at 14mos they understand what you are saying, even if they cannot communicate well yet. Good luck!

Donna - posted on 10/01/2010

Hi, I haven't read all your replies, so don't know if this has been covered or not, but I would suggest teaching your son about gentle hands. When he hits you, or tries to, say 'No hitting, gentle hands!' and hold his hands and pat or stroke your arm with his hand. This gives him the idea of how much force is acceptable to use. Then pat or stroke him, saying 'nice gentle hands' this teaches him that gentle hands feel good.
I agree that hitting him for hitting you is illogical, so use a strong, firm voice, put him down instantly if your carrying him, and after a moment or two, talk about gentle hands.
I know it's hard, but consistancy truly is the key... all the best!

Sue - posted on 10/01/2010

Try pretending to cry when he hits and tell him he is hurting you. My kids cried with me a couple times , then never did it again! . Try getting your husband to talk to him and tell him it hurts mommy and it's bad. Some times it is excepted better from someone else. Hope it helps Prayig for you both. Sue

Ruthilyn - posted on 10/01/2010

Thanks Sidra! You nailed it...I learned from my friend, a very experienced mum of 3 boys and 2 girls!!

Sidra - posted on 10/01/2010

woww nice Ruthi- i love your advice! so smart! i guess thats the only way we learn from other moms with more experience!

Ruthilyn - posted on 10/01/2010

Alysha, there is a lot of good advice here! However, if you have found that these tactics are not working, try this...(I have two boys that I have successfully got through the hitting, along with other battles.) Give him a drum or other toy that is meant to be hit. When he hits you say 'no.' and immediately take his hand and hit the drum with it saying 'yes!'. Then TOUCH his hand to different parts of you(face, arm, etc.) saying 'soft!' or 'gentle!' and then make his hand HIT his drum saying 'yes!' or 'hard!'. Make this a game that he can enjoy. Laugh and celebrate with him when he hits the drum and when he is gentle with you. Boys are physical and need an outlet for their physical needs. Redirecting with 'playing nice' or ignoring their undesired behavior doesn't always work because it does not allow for a welcome outlet for their need to be physical. I've won many battles with this 'outlet' thinking! (Rather than NEVER letting them jump on the furniture and having to fight this battle (that truly doesn't matter when shaping them as people), I give my VERY ACTIVE 5 and 3 yr olds safe furniture to jump on. Soft, rounded couch is ok. My nice bed and square-cornered sectional are not ok. Along with that, a TIME to jump. When we have guests over, jumping is not allowed.) Of course the 'outlets' will change as your little guy developes. Start small and keep your goal in mind, and choose your battles to grow this person of yours! Use this throughout his life and you will 'win' many more of the battles you choose, and he will make a fine man one day!! Being a Mum of boys is tough, but very fun!! :) ~Ruthi

Sidra - posted on 10/01/2010

i think they dont realize they are hurting you. and its just a game for them. like clapping their hands is fun makes noise, my 9 moth started slapping my face and continued becuase of the noise it made. i told her no really angrily becuase it really hurts. i yelled at her and lightly slapped her back. she cried and cried and cried and i let her for a little while. she hasnt done it ever since. now she actually come and gives me hugs. becuase i guess they realize when you are angry at them and when you're happy! so show him you are truly angry! and no means no otherwise you will walk away from him and too bad! its hard becuase every child is different so i guess you just gotta try different approachs whatever works for you guys! but it is a phase and he'll learn! :) like you see everyone goes through it..

Blair - posted on 10/01/2010

My son has the same problem (by the way mine will also be 14 months on the 5th of Oct.) Right now I am just trying to tell him no when he hits but it doesn't seem to work too well. I don't recommend putting him in his crib for time out. You don't want him to think his room/crib is a place for punishment but I would try the playpen. I guess we both just have to take it day by day!

Rachel - posted on 10/01/2010

He is doing it for the reaction that you give him. Don't hit his hand and don't make a big deal out of it. Tell him NO and maybe even ignore him for a minute or two after he does it, acknowledging him only when he does something praiseworthy. Like playing nicely with a toy. Positive attention is key.

Kelly - posted on 10/01/2010

Kids tend to hit, cause they don't know how to express their feelings. My daughter did that for years, mostly cause she couldn't talk. So what I did was instead of hitting back or spanking her or getting mad, I would grab her, wrap my arms around her, rock her and softly say "shhh its ok calm down its ok." I would literally pin her to my body so she couldn't hurt me or herself. After she was calm I was able to talk to her, find out what was wrong, why she was hitting and than tell her that hitting isn't ok, that she needs to use her words. It worked...it really worked. What I found that she needed was 1. to calm down. 2. to feel safe and 3. help expressing herself properly. My daughter couldn't talk hardly and this worked well for her. I recommend trying that if you can. Even a 14month old can understand that.

Katrina - posted on 10/01/2010

You are contradicting yourself to hit him while telling him not to hit you. You're saying you can do it, but he can't - do as I say, not as I do - and a 14 month old is going to follow your example. My son tried hitting at that age too, and time out worked for us. We do the Super Nanny time out: he sits in a corner for 1 minute per year of age (so 1 yr old = 1 min); I use a timer b/c otherwise I'm telling him to come out after 30 seconds, I'm a softy; when the timer goes off, I tell him he can come out and he comes to me; we hug, I tell him "you had to go to time out because..." (ex: "You had to time out because you hit Mommy. When you hit someone, it hurts them and makes them sad. That's not nice, and we don't hit people, we give hugs and kisses."); then we hug and I give him a kiss and tell him I love him - which is an important part so he understands that you don't like his behavior, but you still love him. Then he can return to playing.

Watch him play, and when he does something nice like touch a stuffed animal / friend / pet / family member, etc. nicely in a gentle manner, give him praise. Our dog was the only other one around, so I would lay it on thick whenever he petted the dog or hugged him. "That is SO sweet of you to give Buddy hugs. Buddy likes it when you hug him. Buddy is happy when you pet him gently." My son would eventually walk over to the dog and pet him while saying "Buddy likes it when I pet him nice. I have to be sweet." lol This has worked wonderfully for us, and everyone always comments on how well behaved my son is.

You could also look at it this way: When a child does something and you repeat what they did, it's a game. If he squeals, and you squeal back at him, he is likely to squeal again - only louder this time and with a big smile on his face. When you hit him back (even as punishment, even if it is just a tap on the hand) you are both telling him that it is okay to touch people like this, AND that this is a GAME and we will just sit here hitting each other and having fun. Good luck, I really hope you are able to use someone's advice and get your little man to be sweet to you again. :)

Anna - posted on 10/01/2010

well its kinda contradicting if he hits u and then u hit him and tell him not to hit.. my daughter did that too,usually when she would hit me i would grab her arm and say no mam if she did it again i would grab her hand and hold it and tell her no. and if she did it again i would whoop her butt.. lol and now she doesnt do it.. :)

Kharli - posted on 10/01/2010

My son is 18 months and smacks me, sometimes randomly and sometimes when he's over-excited. It used to really upset me because he hits SO hard and he doesn't really do it to his dad -- so i thought he might not like me for some reason (silly, i know). But then my girlfriend told me that her son does the same and that she had been told by the doctor that babes do it because they are testing boundaries and they trust Mommy the most. Who better to test boundaries with, than the person you feel safest with?
After recieving this info I was able to take the hitting with a grain of salt, now I give him a serious face, a stern voice, an explanation as to why it's not right, and time alone in his crib (if he doesn't stop when asked the first time).
He's slowly but surely understanding the consequences of hitting.
I totally feel your frustration, being a Mom is a tough & thankless job. We all deserve appreciation and understanding, best of luck!

Amanda - posted on 10/01/2010

I found with my son it was helpful to grab his hands as he was hitting me (either catching them right before he would hit me or right after) I would cup his hands and look him in his eyes and tell him sternly that his in to hit mommy. We do not hit b/c it hurts. I would then tell him what the consequence would be if he hit me again. (He like to hit me right after I redirected me as if to say, "What are you going to do about it") At that age the consequence varied depending on the situation. If I was holding him I would tell him that he would be put down b/c I was not going to hold someone who was hitting me. If we were playing I would tell him that I was not going to play with him. Usually the consequence would be somehow not giving him attention b/c that what he was trying to get by hitting. I would just find something to do and not give him any attention. Then I would come back to him and see if he was done hitting.

Elisabeth - posted on 10/01/2010

My son hits me, too. He thinks it is a game. Sometimes I tickle him to get him to stop.

Kaye - posted on 10/01/2010

Dont hit back. Children learn from EVERYTHING we do. If you hit him and say no hitting you're just contradicting yourself. When this happens with my daughter I put her down if I'm holding her, put her hands down to her side and say "no hitting" in a firm voice then walk away. The more attention the behavior gets the more it will happen

Kelly - posted on 10/01/2010

I would take the hand he's hitting you with in yours and say, "Ouch, that hurts!" Startle him, don't hit him back. Then like the other Mom's said, distract him with a toy. He'll move on. It's not about liking you. He's 14 months. It's fun for him. He's testing his boundaries.

Amanda - posted on 10/01/2010

My son did the same thing. Just be consitant with him by putting him in the corner. Everytime he hits you put him there until he calms down. Just always stay consitant.

Rose - posted on 10/01/2010

I agree.

Diane - posted on 10/01/2010

My just turned two year old has gone through phases where he either hits me or his brother. The reason I don't say "no hitting" or "we don't hit" is because the last word they hear is "hit." So I hold his hands, get down at his level and say "No, no, nice touch, Brady." I am rather dramatic about it, that I appear very sad and dissapointed so I get his attention. They say a minute of time out for the age of the child. So, if I can get him to sit in a corner for a minute or 2 for timeout, or in a chair, that works for us. But I agree with putting him in a crib and walking away for a minute or two as the next step if needed.
I think he hits you because maybe he's around you the most and most comfortable with you, so he's not afraid to express that, even though its wrong. My kids are around me the most, and they also test me more than anyone else.
Make sure you are getting plenty of "time in" with him though. Didn't read all the posts, but maybe he's wanting some one on one playtime, and just a few minutes here and there might help too.
Hang in there, there's always something with every age, but you do need to set a pattern of lovingly showing that you are in control and that he needs to follow the rules and hitting is not okay.

Melissa - posted on 10/01/2010

i know what you are going thru my son did the samething and hears what worked for me try putting him in time out for a minute and tell him that its not respectful to hit me right now you are being disrespectful and i dont like it and thats why u are in timeout. you are right at one point we are with are kids 24/7 and they think they can do this things but u just have to be firm and to let him know that its a no no to hit mommy!
good luck alyshia and keep me posted ok i hope this works for you
take care
melissa

Lisa - posted on 10/01/2010

We used 1-2-3 Magic when our boys were that young. I still count my kids and they generally respond to it still at the ages of 13 and 9. If you hit his hand and stay don't hit, it is a confusing message. I recommend the 1-2-3 Magic book.

Belinda - posted on 10/01/2010

Time out for a 14 month old? Not sure that has been thought through.

Molly - posted on 10/01/2010

OK, moms! So, your toddler is hitting you and you are doing all the right things to handle the situation. Everybody says that it is not personal. They are wrong! Don't get mad at me and read on...

You are the one that gets hit, bit, yelled at, and you are the one who gets to deal out the "repremand".

You are also the only person that your child TRUSTS & LOVES enough to try all this on. You are the only person that they know will love them unconditionaly.

So, take a time out when you need one and if all else fails, sing "Do Your Ears Hang Low". ;-D

Nan - posted on 09/30/2010

First off -- he's not being malicious and he doesn't hate you.

Hitting at you has become a game to him.

These are some things I have used with my own boys which worked.

Gently hold his hand when he swings at you, firmly without smiling or having any other facial reaction (removing that facial reaction) tell him "That hurts Mommy. Don't hit."

Moving away from him. Hitting mommy has a consequence, she doesn't play with me any more.

Most important - when you catch him being good. When he gives you a hug, when he isn't hitting. Reward him for it. Show him that being nice to mommy is positive.

Make sure those around you are showing you positive attention. Children mirror and imitate.

Let daddy or granny have the watch for a couple hours each week and use that time to recharge your batteries - take a long bath, shut yourself away and read a good book. Or, if you can get out of the house for a while, find a quiet coffee shop or do a bit of window shopping, take a course at the local college. Something to get you some time off and a bit of adult stimulation. It'll be good for you.

Alexis - posted on 09/30/2010

Reply to spankings:I agree that spankins do work, but it is with fear of pain that it works, while being consistant about timeouts or redirecting does take more patience and time, days and sometimes weeks longer it is (in my opinon and from being raised by a spanker\smaker) a much more respectful longer lasting form of discipline. I know when I was younger I didnt not do things because they were bad, but because I was afraid of being hit\spanked. When something was explained to me or I learned not to do something in a non painful respectful manner I would obey out of respect for the boundries and\or the person\parent that used the non spanking form of discipline. Yes I did come out ok being raised by spankers but I did not respect my parents for it and pushed my boundries even more as I became older. At least be sure and explain why if you feel the need to spank and make sure they understand what they did wrong, and more than "Because I said so". My son is well behaved and listens to basic commands. I have never spanked him, or hit him in anyway.

Barbara - posted on 09/30/2010

I would 'get down' to eye level and say ' look in my eyes'........then say 'no hurting' or 'no hitting', if he does not stop, he should have a time out for two minutes. Looking in his eyes and he into yours will guarantee that he is hearing you and actually listening to your words. I would not hit back, as you see it doesn't work. You could also try saying "use your words", "no hitting", as long as he is at eye level and looking directly at you. If time out is neccessary, explain why afterwards.

Nikki - posted on 09/30/2010

When you are holding him, and he hits you - automatically put him down and tell him "that hurts". Putting him down, will show him that you don't like it. I have a home daycare and that's what myself and the parents do. And it seems to work.

Nikki - posted on 09/30/2010

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Lauren - posted on 09/30/2010

Alysha, saying no to him and explaining that we don't hit people will work with your 1 year old. You need to be consistent so that also means no hitting him - not even a tap on the hand - when he's hitting you.
When my boys went through this stage (most boys do) I had to give them time out in their rooms, i then spoke with them about not hitting me or anyone before letting them out. They stopped hitting me.
Occasionally they'll hit out now - but its in anger or frustration and we are working on 'anger management' now. My boys are 3 and 5. It's hard but ultimately worth it.

Donna - posted on 09/30/2010

When you hit your son back, you are teaching him that it's ok to hit. You need to establish a "time out" area in your home and you need to put him there when he acts out poorly. Time outs are very effective and saved me with my daughter and son. The mom is with the children 24/7 and the kids learn not to respect what they say or want. You need to regain your confidence as a good mom and re-establish to him that you are in charge - not him. It will only get worse if you do not get this under control. You will have to have the support of your husband with the Time Outs.....

My kids are now 27 and 21 and were a complete joy for me.....I became a single mom when my youngest was 5....I had no support other than my parents on occassion so time outs truly kept our house free of fights, struggles and hard feelings!

Good Luck!! Donna Lee

Bec - posted on 09/30/2010

I'm with Jennifer, however, rather than distracting him there are a couple of other things you could try. I do agree with explaining things, they understand more than you think. Also, simply saying "No, that hurts Mummy" and walking away from them so they realise they won't get attention if they do it works for some people. Some people pretend to cry when their kids hit them and they stop and give them a cuddle realising they've done something to upset you.

Danielle - posted on 09/30/2010

well said, better than me. Thankyou AGREED!!!

Catie - posted on 09/30/2010

I have to say, that although I am likely the minority, I believe in spanking. I believe this is something that deserves a spanking. My daughter did this maybe a handful of times, and when we spanked, it stopped. It is a way of getting attention for them. Especially if you are not paying attention to them. Spanking, if done properly, and for the right reasons, works well, especially for our daughter; who is nearly 4.

I also, do not think that smacking your child's hand is reiterating that it is OK to hit. You are the mother, and they are the child. They have boundaries that must be followed. We smack their hands to teach them not to touch something, especially when dangerous, and that is the same thing. You have to be firm, and follow through. It's not OK for a child to hit.

Danielle - posted on 09/30/2010

You guys all have great suggestions. I am a "smack on the bum mum", Didn't need to be for my first boy, but my second! What a strong willed, defiant wee man I have. I don;t believe in if you say no hitting, and then smack them, that they arent learning anything,. I was smacked until I was three, and Im fine!!!, If its consistant and firm, it does work. Parents swear, yet we teach our kids not too, We drink coke, but our kids cant,. This is a reality. Kids are not allowed to do somethings that are for adults. If your kid misbehaves/hits you and you are consistant in your punishment (whatever you choose that to be), All the child learns is boundaries and that you will follow through. I give all my kids to the count of three to make a choice. If they choose not to stop the behaviour, then consequence follows. all the best with your wee man, My son only hit me once! Enough said!!!!

Elizabeth - posted on 09/30/2010

We use a couple of ways to make Catelynn stop. First, if she is hitting to be playful (and we do spank/hand pop here, and we never play hit with her to keep it consistent) I grab her hand and say "No, soft, soft" and stroke her hand on my face. When she tries again to hit, I grab and do it over and over again. If I have to, I put her down.

There have been a few times she has hit me or Daddy out of anger, because we took something away or said No. Yeah, that doesn't fly here. In my book if you're old enough to hit because you're angry, you're old enough to learn that is not acceptable. That kind of hitting gets a firm NO, usually nose-to-nose, with a great deal of crying on her part afterwards (hey, I'm crying too in my heart). Occasionally, when she just will not stop because she is angry (usually in the kitchen) like she got into my pantry, I get her out close the door and try to walk away, she follows after me to hit me, if the big no doesn't work, she has received an attention getting spanking on her thigh and moved to her time out spot. Both my husband and I were raised in strict households, with Yes, please or Yes, sir, and no, you don't get to raise a hand or a voice to your parents. But, we get a great deal of flack for this too, and discipline needs to be something you and your husband agree to remain consistent with.

Don't be afraid to assert yourself Mommy. All of our little ones are realizing they have a will, they have an opinion on things, and they need to learn the pecking order. You don't have to spank if that's not your thing, but firm voice, firm eye contact the message will get through. And you have to walk away when they throw a hissy fit.

Rose - posted on 09/30/2010

Please STOP hitting him back! You must model the behavior that you want to see. This is the perfect opportunity to teach your child empathy. Tell him how you feel about his behavior and tell him what behavior you expect: Mommie does not like it when you hit me - hitting hurts Mommie - you may not hit mommie - use your words to tell me how you feel - you cannot hit me. What we teach children when we hit them is that if someone does not do what you want them to do you hit. Children that have not developed their verbal communication skills often use behaviors to express themselves- give him words to express his feelings - "Are you angry with mommie because you cant have the cookie?"

Katherine - posted on 09/30/2010

My 10 month old daughter has just started doing the same thing and i foung that the best way is to completely ignore it. If i am holding her and she hits me i put her down and dont look at her or talk to her or acknowledge her at all. If im not holding her and she crawls over and hits me i stand up and walk away . Kids, no matter what age, hate being ignored. Hitting is their way of getting attention but if ou ignore it and walk away they soon realise that hitting doesnt get your attention, it drives you away. After a while of doing this, my 10 month old daughter stopped hitting me and started cuddling up to me or saying mum instead and i gave her big cuddles and laughed and played with her lots to show her that it was a good way to get my attention. It worked wonders. Occasionally she still slips up and hits me but i just ignore her and she stops. Good luck. Its hard to completel ignore your child, even just for a few minutes, but believe me, it works and is worth it in the end

Jeanine - posted on 09/30/2010

At 1 yr old a child doesn't understand a spanking. It is just cruelty. And punishing by taking things away is something else babies do not understand. What are you still living in the stone age?

Amanda - posted on 09/30/2010

If he's with you 24/7 i see that as a form of playing. If he's upset when he does it let him know thats not ok and put him in his room for awile. If that don't work take one of his toys when he's acting up. Eventually he'll get it. They need to be taught when there young so it will stick. Anyways hope that helps.

Heather - posted on 09/30/2010

You've already been given good advice but I'll add to it by saying... Don't forget that he is a boy. They aren't hard wired to understand relationship/feeling stuff as easily as we girls, so don't forget to say, "This is the wrong thing and right thing to do" in addition to the "this makes me feel" stuff. Also get your husband involved now to remind him that men don't hit - ever. Start now - it's never to young to start with this type of attitude development. I also told them, "If you are made you can do this..... (take a breath, say "I'm upset Mummy' etc) These three things work edwhen my boys started the hitting thing.

Doris - posted on 09/30/2010

I wrote almost the same as you in my reply. I agree with you.

Alexis - posted on 09/30/2010

Im not trying to be mean but my opinion is stop hitting him. How can you expect someone to not hit you when you hit them? I understand the idea is that he will feel what it is like to be hit and stop but at this age others feelings are a concept they dont grasp. What I did with my son is the first time he hit and any time after (you cant let him get away with it, not even once) I grabed his hand firmly but not in anyway to cause pain and told him no hitting in a serious tone. I then put him down or took him to another part of the room to distract him. It is almost the same thing as when he gets into something or does something he is not suppose to. I catch him, stop him, tell him no and remove him from the situation. It takes a few times of reinforcment (thats why you can't let him get away with it not even once) and he stopped. Dont let him hit others or even be too rough with his toys if you want to stop the behavior. Just my opinion and what worked for me. My son is 13months.

Erin - posted on 09/30/2010

well.. I guess I'm old fashion.. a good spanking goes along way. Spanking and start taking things away (ie. tv, toys, etc.) Make sure you make it clear that hitting is in no way an acceptable form of communication. After you spank him and send him to his room, let him sit and cry for awhile.. then go in and ask him if he knows why he is in trouble, if he says its because he hit you, he obviously knows its wrong. then explain why it is wrong and tell him it hurts you to have to spank him. BUT after you talk with him.. do not let him go play or resume activities he was doing before hitting you.. that only says, okay mommy will let me do what i want as long as i say im sorry.... good luck doll!

Doris - posted on 09/30/2010

Hello Friend
It would be better for you not to slap his hand back. I am saying this for the reason you are doing just what you tell him not to do hit.You may need to put him arm down firmly and say no in a tone he knows you don't approve of..He will stop this after awhile.You might also like to say we don't hit Mommy and sit him in a chair for a few seconds. Keep it up. It will work.