Mindee Biting my DS!!

[JemStar]

Mindee (15 month boy) bit my DS today, his mum had warned me he has started to bite, has bitten her, dad, a friend and their dog!! He has just started to get a bad temper and today they both went to climb up the slide at the same time and my DS come off worst! He has just turned 2 and is very kind natured and doesn't like any type of upsetting behavour.

I obviously told Dad when he picked him up this evening, it went down like a lead balloon! I know some children go through a biting phase, its nothing I have had to deal with before, I was really upset. His dad's comment was, 'well I can't tell him off for it now'. I wasn't expecting him to tell him off!

Do I need to write an incident report as it was my son who got bit?

Plus any advice how to handle this behavour and the parents as I'm sure they are going ask me??!!! To be honest they don't seem to handle the mindee very well.

[curlycathy]

I would write an incident report so its all logged. The fact that it was your ds who got bitten is not the point - the incident report is about this child's behaviour, the trigger for it, and how you dealt with it. If this child is developing this behaviour you need to make sure you've got it all covered in case you need to call a meeting with parents to discuss it. Might not happen again - you never know!

As for handling it - I have one who went through a phase of biting (usually restricted to me and his mum!!!) and would just remove him with a firm "NO" (this was when he was a baby). He then progressed to making threats to bite - again was told quite firmly that we don't do that. When he did bite another mindee I removed him from situation and made him sit on the step whilst I comforted mindee and calmed her. I then spoke to him about his behaviour and how sad it made me, and mummy, when he did this. He then wasn't allowed to leave my side for the rest of the day so I could keep an eye on him. Hasn't done it again!

It does depend on level of understanding and if he is a biter you will need to do a risk assessment on the situation - I put that I wouldn't leave him alone with the others whilst making lunch for instance, he had to come with me and miss out on playing.

Hope you get it sorted out - its difficult if you dont have full support of parents x

[JemStar]

Thanks for your advice. I have written an incident report and will give it to parents this evening. I'm going to be on watch all day today!

[SammyM]

I'm obviously not with it today, I read your title and thought, why doesn't she just take the DS (nintendo) off him then!!!!!!

Doh, its gonna be a long day!!!!!!!