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Toddler hitting

Sheryl - posted on 08/09/2010 ( 1 mom has responded )

9

2

How do you all handle hitting? My 20-month old girl has picked up the habit of hitting (or swinging, at least) when she is angry/frustrated. There is a boy close to her age at her childcare who hits/swings (even just for fun, not out of anger) and she has picked up this habit.

Of course I've gotten the [bad] advice to hit her (tap her lightly) when she does this, telling her no. But this seems counter intuitive--if you're trying to get a child to stop doing something, it doesn't make sense to do the same thing to her. We use a time-out chair, when there's time (but this doesn't seem to work much). But what about those times when we are out and about? How do you break a toddler out of this habit? Oh, and she sometimes pinches, too. Another negative habit she's picked up from this other child whose parents apparently pinch him.

Thanks for any feedback!

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Carisa - posted on 08/09/2010

399

2

I'm with you on the not hitting (the only time I would ever consider that is if they were going to touch a hot stove or something) As hard as it is, the most important thing about disciplining a toddler is to do it immediately, and that may mean leaving the store or where ever without finishing what you were doing. You can also try taking away things she likes instead of time out.
How is your daycare provider handling the other child? You might talk them about the problem and see if there is something that can be done at daycare so both children learn it is never okay to hit.

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