How do you get a two year old from biting?

Question

I have a 2 year old that is always biting her older cousin. Is there a good way to break her from it? My wife smacks her mouth but I really dislike that. I believe the only place a kid should be hit is on their butt. Please give me some ideas. Thanks

I never though it was right but my wife also tried biting her back. Not sure if it wasn't hard enough or what but it hasn't helped. She ONLY bites her 3 year old cousin when she has one of her toys or if her cousin is doing something she likes/wants. Should we have the cousin bite her being only three to show her how it feels?

Answer 1

I have two children and they both went through a biting phase. All parenting techniques are different so you must do what you feel is appropriate. In my opinion a child is not going to learn that biting hurts by telling them that it hurts. Little kids don't understand that thier friend feels pain. I taught my children by first catching the incident and handling it immediately. I would tell them that biting hurts and then bite my child on the arm hard enough to cause mild pain. My teeth did leave marks but they dissapeard after a few munutes. By doing so I was able to SHOW my child that biting hurts and by that, I was able to break my child of biting early on. I believe that children learn best by example rather than explaination. If you choose to exercise this technique take great care to not bite your child so hard that it breaks the skin or bruises.

Answer 2

I know this may sound mean but... Try a little squirt of hand soap in her mouth when she bites. It worked for my 2 1/2 year old. I only had to do it twice! Of course tell her it is ugly and hurts people when she does that but let her know it is not acceptable and that she will get the soap in her mouth every time she bites. Honestly that is how I broke my child from biting.

Answer 3

I don't know, but I hope there's someone here that can give some good input. My 2-year old had a chunk bitten out of his arm yesterday at daycare by a little girl, and I am FURIOUS. I know the biter is only 2, but I can't leave him in a setting where this is happening.

My older son (now 6) was a biter, and was literally rolling over to other babies when he was only five months old and biting them (he had 8 teeth at 5 months). He eventually outgrew it, but he was asked to leave two daycares over it.

He ended up being diagnosed with poor impulse control due to ADHD. We're working with him now, and he is on medication and doing better - but every day is still a challenge.

Good luck.

Answer 4

Bite the child back. Tell the cousin to bite her back but not real hard. Sounds mean but it works.
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Answer 5

My little cousin used to do that (really bad) to the point where he would draw blood on anyone. The one thing that worked other than slapping or anything else was biting him back. I wouldn't do it in public, but if she bites you at home, try biting her back (not hard.) It sounds really bad, but it worked!

Answer 6

Give the child one back and see if that works. Also some kids just have tough teeth and like to bite things. Food is preferable.

Answer 7

I would bite back but not too hard. Let her know that it hurts. Yes I would have the cousin bite back.

Answer 8

This might sound mean but bite her back....not hard enough to break the skin, but if she knows how it makes her feel, then maybe she will stop biting others.

Answer 9

When my son this, I was told to bite him back. I didn't like but I tried and he stopped. It only took one time. Sometimes the old folks way work. Good luck.

Answer 10

I did bite mine back when they went through that phase..not hard, didn't hurt or leave a mark at all, but just to show them that it isn't fun being on the receiving end