Why does my 2 and half a half year old boy hit other small children?

Question

My two and a half year old boy has just started his nursery but he hits other small children with no provocation, any suggestions of how I as a parent stop this happening would be much appreciated

Answer 1

Well, kids this age will hit for no apparent reason, so your son is normal. This being said, it is still not good, and you do need to teach him. I have found that if you sit down by him when he hits, and take his hand and say, "don't hit, be gentle (or nice or something)", then take his hand and show him what gentle is. Stroke his face and say, "gentle", then take his hand and have him stroke your hand or the other child's gently. Do this consistently and you will be able to just tell him to be gentle or nice. Never hit him back. Kids learn from what we do. Emphasize what he SHOULD do, and speak in short, clear sentences.

Answer 2

My nephew does exactly the same thing, he had only just started nursery and thankfully hasn't hit anyone yes, but when he is at home he can become very nasty towards his friends.

Sometimes its because other children have got what he wants and the only way to get it is to hit, if other children are frightened of him they will just stay away. Eventually he will get the idea that he has to share and the only way to do this is to take it in turns.

We were in the garden and he was playing on the slide with his friend, we heard a scream and he had bitten his friends arm, he got sent straight to his room, where he stayed for the rest of the day. He does it very sneakily so he thinks you don't see.

The best think to do from my point of view is to chastise him, not in a loud voice but to sit him down and say how wrong it was and that he now has to either go to his room or sit in silence.

We also took my nephews cover of him, this is what he sucks as a comfort blanket, he loves it. When we took it off him he knew he had done wrong. It takes time but persevere and he will grow out of it.

Answer 3

Come on already, he is a bully and trying to assert dominance. He is testing the limits of everyone! You MUST deal with this now. Do not try and reason with him because at 2 years old, this will be impossible. You finally need to give him a swat when he does this (if you see him do it); I don't mean a wallop but a swat on the behind! You begin to take away privileges one by one: Television, play time, dessert, and all other things he likes. You tell him if he learns to behave, he can have them back one by one. When he misbehaves again, you follow this procedure. You keep reinforcing this every time he hits another child. There MUST be a price to pay for his misbehavior and when he discovers there is, he will probably stop doing it. You also tell the nursery school teacher that she should reprimand him and send him to the corner for an hour whenever he misbehaves, keep him from joining in playtime with the others, and make sure this is reinforced. You try and find out if he is under stress, as he may be "acting out," as schoolyard bullies often do. If none of this works, seek professional counseling. Don't wait. This kid is going to escalate this behavior if it isn't stopped now!

Answer 4

Your little boy does not need any councelling for this problem. With the help of the assistants at the nursery and along with you at home it can be controlled. Use the deepest tone of your voice to say NO everytime that he does it. He will get to recognise it in the end. Don't make the mistake of smacking his hand as he will see this as a game.It's a phase a lot of children go through but he will grow out of it. At the moment I have a bitey one year old and it's worth perservering.

I'VE JUST READ SOME OF THE ANSWERS AND I'M SHOCKED WITH SOME OF THEM AND HOW MANY SAY MEET VIOLENCE WITH VIOLENCE. God help your children as they will all grow into little thugs who think that violence is the answer.

Answer 5

I am step-grandmother to a 2 and half year old girl. I am a proud NAN but am sad that she bites and scratches one other child that she sees quite a lot of. My step-daughter who is very placid, as is her husband, does not believe in physical punishment (violence encourages violence). I am old school and a slap never did me any harm however in this modern world slapping is not okay. I believe there is a certain amount of frustration surrounding this type of action. My grandchild is very forward with her speaking but her friend who she bites is four months younger and is more physically active than verbal. Be assured many children go through these fazes and we have all grown up to be nice people. Keep up the "naughty spot" routine or take away privileges if he understands what privileges are. If you do not believe in slapping do not go there it will make you feel awful. As one of the other contributors has written, if you have watched Supernanny, try to follow her guidelines and be consistent, make sure your partner and you put up a united front on all family matters. Children will try to devide so they can rule. Be vigilent and try not to worry this will pass there are many challenges still to come. Good luck.

Answer 6

Do what Super Nanny would do. Tell him that is not acceptable and if he does it any more he will loose a toy, or sit on a knotty stool. Be consistent. My little girl was bitten every day by a knotty boy at daycare. We parents had a meeting about it w/ the daycare staff and it was decided that when he bit anyone, he lost play time. It worked. So you could try that. Some parents have CPS knock on their door because of their child's behavior problems. He is learning it from some where... So be careful, and consistent... Best of luck...

Answer 7

Because schools arent allowed to chastise pupils anymore in case they are prosecuted so an important part of life education is being missed by your child becasue of stupid laws.
And now your child is learning that he can get away with it and will continue to expect to do what he feels like throughout his life and will probably end up an arrogant violent thug.
Also, as you are aware of his violence if you do nothing to chastise his wrongdoings then you are a significant party to your childs mis-development and should bear a significant portion of the blame if you allow it to continue.
I'd be happy to sue you and the nursery if his actions caused a child of mine to be injured.
Get active........ give him a taste of the violence he is meeting out.

Answer 8

My 3yr old hits us and other children at his creche,for as somthing simple as someone looking at him funny. I think its just in his temprement to stick up for himself. Mind you he has a 5 yr old brother so there's a lot of fights at home. We do talk to himand say that behaviour is unacceptable,but it really dosent work. So you're not alone maybe it is because they cant communicate that some one has upset them. They'll grow out of it I guess. I suppose its better them him getting picked on.
although I do feel sorry for the other kids though.

Ps - This isnt mimiced behaviour as our other son has a totally placid temprement .

Answer 9

pass on your college district and refer to them. See if there are any classes they have which will benefit him. additionally ask approximately parenting classes for your self. once you repermand him you to no longer do what you're saying do no longer provide in in any respect. you will desire to be consistent. If he has found out you're saying i won't have the ability to do something with him then he will proceed to do what he needs too. try placing some goals for him. positioned it on a chart. in the event that they different childrens are doing something exciting then do no longer enable him by using fact of his undesirable habit. clarify why he won't have the ability to do it. it's going to be some weeks of organic hell yet then it gets better. i've got confidence drugs is a bandaid for the project. at last they might desire to learn on a thank you to calm themselves down. I meet a ADHD that variety into on medicnine from5-20. he's now 25 and mentioned whilst he went off of it he would desire to no longer function and had to particularly college by using fact he would desire to no longer persist with alongside. He has now enrolled back in college and is doing properly. Has this new child had a babysitter being mean to him or every person? i these days watched a 6 twelve months previous and he had had maximum of undesirable babysitters. He substitute right into a handful and ended up with a social worker. seems that from the babysitters and the divorce he did no longer be attentive to what to do along with his anger. i'd have by no potential guessed it. It substitute into relatively Nanny 911 in my domicile. He destroyed many stuff in my domicile. tore the carpet off the stairs. everywhere that variety into outing he destroyed. whilst he substitute into sturdy he substitute into so nice and delightful. yet whilst he substitute into undesirable he substitute into extremely undesirable. He substitute right into a ticking time bomb. Now he has been with a college social worker and he's a different new child. i do no longer watch him anymore by using fact he mandatory an more advantageous place to slot his needs yet I do spend time with him. He extremely is a exhilaration to be around now. The bomb has be deactivated.

Answer 10

he's entered a whole new world the first place of enforced authority. it a culture shock to little ones and you'll find that soon he'll have learned to share, respect and play nicely with the other children and even start obeying the rules. give him a break
he's trying to cope with the reality if he situation himself. if in doubt watch supernanny