Best way to tackle biting??

[LeanneC]

Hi

Just a quick question (as a mum). My daughter of 16mths currently goes to a childminder. We are going through a horrific time of it at the min with her biting her other little mindee (only the 4 yr old girl) quite alot. The other parents and the childminder keep saying its ok dont worry she will grow out of it, But Im so mortified with it and im getting to stage when im on my way to pick her up I'm wondering how hard has she bit her today? :panic: She has never cut the skin, just bruised it. Dont get me wrong apart from that my dl is a very pleasent little girl and everyone says how lovely she is. I just dont know what to do, and im worried she will never grow out of it and by the time i start minding around April/May time she will still be doing it and may start on the mindees i have. :panic:
What do you suggest. We are working together and we do the same thing when she tries to bite us as the childminder by putting her in the highchair for 1 min and saying NO you mustn't do that! but thats it and i feel she isnt really getting it. Am i being to daft?

Sorry for the long thread, thanks for reading

xx Leanne

[Pipsqueak]

removal of teeth:D ;) only kidding!

Right to start of it is very common and yes she will grow out of it. But in the meantime its not a pleasant experience for anyone involved.

How has your minder suggested handling it? You all need to be working together to get this sorted as quick as possible.

The recommended ways of handling the biter is to ignore the biter totally and make a MASSIVE fuss of the bitten.
Watch for any triggers and intervene quickly - distraction works really well.
If she trys or goes to bit you a firm no and put her down or walk away
Try not to get yourself stressed about it (easier said than done I know), your daughter will pick up on this. Most kids use this sensation of trying out their nashers.

[LeanneC]

Thankyou!

That's what we have been doing so I am doing something right at least, will have to stick with it i guess. Childminder does that aswell and places Lily in the highchair for a min whils she tends to the other one.

You have made me feel heaps better thanks.

:thumbsup:

[Chatterbox Childcare]

We are all told "it is a phase" or "they are venting their frustration as they cannot communicate yet"

I have a 2 year old who was biting. His mum is a teacher and learnt a method from a teacher of autistic children and it worked for us.

Every time her child went to bite we pushed his head forward from the back. Gently but firmly and the shock of it stopped his action, eventually ceasing all together

Hope yours stops soon

[madasahatter]

I tackle biting in much the same way as your childminder. At 16months your daughter's understanding of right and wrong will be growing daily and this phase should last no more than a month or two. Hope your childminder is making full use of wrapped icepacks or cold damp flannels as they really do cut down on possible bruising for the poor recipient of the bite.

Digressing....Pipsqueak I've just noticed your ofsted grading....just what did you have to do to get that one?:D :blush:

[misst104]

Totally agree with all other posts. I've had lots of experience with children who bite and my ds (22 months) is now a culprit. Its such an emotive subject isn't it. Just another technique to try - every time there is a biting incident tell her 'No, we don't bite people, we bite food or our toothbrush'.

She may well be a little young for this to work but its worth a try. I know its worked for me in trying to explain the unacceptable nature of biting to a child.

Like the others have said it will stop. Often when the child can communicate through words rather than actions I find it calms down a lot.

HTH. Good Luck :thumbsup:

P.S the aforementioned ds was biten at playgroup on Tuesday morning - through the skin (blood everywhere). Taste of his own medicine :D

Jo x x x

[LeanneC]

Thanks Ladies,

She has been fine all this week infact so we may be getting through to her. I feel sooo much better knowing its not just dd doing it. It's hard to accept. Today though childminder did say she does it in self defense when said victim of the biting tries to take a toy away from her or doesnt share the toys.
Oh well like you all said I'm sure it'll be fine soon enough

xx :thumbsup:

[Pipsqueak]

Digressing....Pipsqueak I've just noticed your ofsted grading....just what did you have to do to get that one?:D :blush:


:laughing: :laughing: the inspector said I was just to darned sexy to grade!:D

[singlewiththree]

Thanks Ladies,

She has been fine all this week infact so we may be getting through to her. I feel sooo much better knowing its not just dd doing it. It's hard to accept. Today though childminder did say she does it in self defense when said victim of the biting tries to take a toy away from her or doesnt share the toys.
Oh well like you all said I'm sure it'll be fine soon enough

xx :thumbsup:

My DD is going through the same she hasn't bitten for 2 weeks now but last time it was longer so I'm not releasing my breath just yet. The last time she was at my parents and they react badly and I wasn't there. When I got there she was so upset. My parents had shouted at her loudly and my mum had bitten her back, I think the combination really upset her and she hadn't done it since (I'm not advocating this, it still upsets me to think of what she went through but they are very "old" school thinkers). I'm hoping that she isn't too traumatised but like I said she hasn't done it since which helps her sister who still has the marks from the last 2 times where she broke the skin they were very bad bites.

[Lottie]

My middle child used to bite and it didn't matter what we did he wouldn't stop. He was about 3 or 4 years so had a fair understanding by then of right and wrong. One day he bit his older brother so hard he drew blood. Their Father bit him back, not hard but hard enough to shock him! I know this is very unorthodox but it worked, the shock was enough for him to never do it again.
I would never suggest or advocate doing this to a mindee!