My Toddler Hits – What do I do?
When your toddler suddenly hauls off and hits you during a pleasant playtime experience, or impulsively smacks other kids, including their siblings, it can be disheartening.
In fact, it can make you feel as though you have failed at parenting. The truth is though, you haven’t. Nor is your toddler a bad child.
When a child starts hitting there are emotional forces at work.
Although it may seem random, your child is most likely driven by emotion and when hitting is involved, that emotion is often fear.
You need to understand that your toddlers don’t desire to hurt you or anyone else around them, nor do they want to be bad in your mind, or anyone else’s.
My Toddler Hits – What do I do?
There are a few ways to nip your toddler’s hitting in the bud before it becomes out of control, and their way of dealing with any situation in which they feel uncomfortable.
Respond Right Away
The second your child bites or hits, remove them from the situation. Keep a clear, stern voice and explain to your toddler why hitting is wrong. If a time out is required, move forward with a break.
Distract
If your toddler has hit a friend while attempting to get a toy they are playing with, remove the item.
Children at this age are too young to understand that taking turns is best so instead, direct both children’s attention away from the object and on to something else.
Be Empathetic
Children don’t really have a great grasp or understanding of their anger or emotions at this age. In fact, labeling their feelings may be difficult for them.
Take some time to sit down with them and help them give their feelings an identity, this will give them the chance to better convey what they feel prior to acting in the future.
Just make sure that you employ plenty of positive reinforcement during this trying time and praise your little one when they use a gentle touch or share one of their toys, this will help to encourage better behaviour down the road.
Prevention
When your toddler is most likely to strike out or melt down, make a mental note of it.
This will help you to prevent the behaviour before it occurs next time by offering to help or redirecting your toddler on to a new activity.
Sometimes all it takes is a little extra attention from their parents to help a child feel calmer and prevent hitting.
Keep Your Emotions in Check
As difficult as it may be to remain calm when your child hits, remind yourself that this is temporary.
Many toddlers go through these stages for a few months at most.
If you find your temper boiling over, you will only be making the situation worse.
My Toddler Hits – What do I do?
When your toddler hits, it is important to remember that it could be because they are having a hard time expressing their emotions.
The best thing you can do is to respond immediately, offer a distraction, remain empathetic, prevent this behaviour whenever possible and remember to keep your own emotions in check.
Most importantly remember, this too shall pass.
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