how do i stop my 13 month old from bitting?

Question

my 13 month old son keeps biting kids in day care and dont know how to make him stop there saying if he does not stop the will have to terminate my day care and i cant afford to not work no can i afford another day care either and now every time he bites they want to send him home with me for the day my work is a little anoyed with that its not right what can i do some one please help

Answer 1

Bite him back.

It's not mean, it's what's needs to be done. A 13 month old doesn't realize that what hurts others also will hurt him. You need to show him that by biting him back. Not so hard that it leaves a mark or hurts bad, just hard enough to get the point across that "biting hurts". When he realizes that it hurts, he'll quit doing it.

Trust me, this is what doctors recommend even.

Bite him back. He'll quit biting.

Answer 2

First of all, tell the daycare you can no linger pick him up and bring him home when he bites. You PAY for his care and expect to get full care when needed. It is their responsibility to stop this because you simply do not have the chance (you are at work when it happens, and he is too young to understand a punishment that comes at home for something he did at daycare an hour ago.) Effective punishment must be immediate, age appropriate and inforced by the caregiver present at the time of the offense. (How can you teach him not to bite when he doesn't bite at home? There is no opportunity.)

Then tell the day care people that every time he bites, grasp him firmly by the shoulders, make him look them in the face and say very loudly and firmly "NO BITING!" (it should be loud enough and stern enough to suprise him) and immediately put him in a time out place such as a baby bed or play pen (both with no toys) or a high chair (all in the same room with them or in a seperate room w/ adult supervision)and confine him there for at least 5 minutes .Ignore all crying or tantruming during this time and completely ignore him, don't try to talk to him or lecture him, just be quiet and do something else. Don't even look at him during the time out. Let him out after 5 minutes UNLESS he is screaming and crying, then don't let him out until he stops. (He will think crying gets him out).

It is not unusual for children this age to bite, and the daycare should have the experience and the know-how to stop it on their own. If they are not willing to cooperate with you, then it is not the kind of care your son needs and you need to find better care anyway.

I am surprised another child hasn't bitten him back already, but if worse comes to worse, sometimes that is the only thing that works to stop biting. But again, it would have to be immediate and cannot be done by a day care worker (illegal). Another thing that works, when you catch him about to take a big bite of someone, quickly stick his own arm in the way!

Answer 3

this is hard habbit to break!!i have had 6 kids all biters!!boy i cant say anything realy helped.i was consistent with letting them know it was very wrong,i personaly hate bitting it makes me upset.on the other hand when i was a knew mom people told me bite back i tried this a couple times it did nothing but make me feel like a horribl mom,so i didnt do it again.i dont recommend it either,its ineffective and may even be considered abusive,no matter what others say do not do it you will feel awefull!! what will probably stop baby best is when another child takes a bite of him.just be consistent in letting him know it is wrong.tell him no no no bite sternly make him sit for a couple min(todlers wont sit anylonger).again tuff thing to break!! best wishes!!

Answer 4

Each of my 3 girls tried the biting thing out. I bit them right back and with 2 of the 3 they stopped doing it immediately. My middle child was a little more stubborn. I probably had to bite her back 3 or 4 times before she actually stopped. I hated doing it, but I knew it would work. Just like punishing or spanking, you hate to do it but you have to if they're gonna learn. Good luck and God bless!

Answer 5

What do all these people think biting back will teach a child? That it's OK to bite if you are bigger and stronger! That the people he love can't be trusted not to hurt him! DO NOT bite your child back!!!!! That is CRUEL.

The daycare providers need to be more attentive to him so that they can watch for what triggers his biting. At this age, it is probably due to a lack of the ability to communicate OR teething discomforts. Watch for yourself when you are with him and see if you can identify triggers to tell them to look for. They need to be ready to intervene BEFORE he bites so that they can redirect him.

Teach him sign language so he can begin to communicate better. They pick that up faster than language.

If "heading him off at the pass" and redirecting him isn't working, you can consider letting him feel how sharp HIS OWN teeth are. Press HIS OWN arm into HIS OWN teeth and tell him, "Ouch! No biting!" Then he can make the connection that it hurts when he bites!

Answer 6

I say be firm and when he is about to bite tell him no, and do that when he bites to but make sure he looks at you when you are yelling at him. if he is biting a lot then you may need to give him a bite back and tell him no. also use time out, they are never to young for it.

Answer 7

I would bite him back to where he can feel it and maybe he would realize that it hurts and will stop biting

Answer 8

it is probably because his teeth itch so just get him bread to chew on not a toy thats what my Mom did tell the daycare people to give him bread don't bite him when he grows up he will be like omg my parent usto bite me when I was a baby

Answer 9

i hate to say it but bite him back, most kids dont realize that when someone bites them it feels the same to someone else when they get bit. or you can take his fingers/hand and put it in his mouth and close it, so that he understands that his teeth hurt someone when he bites.

Answer 10

bite him and then tell him to stop biteing people and let him see how it feel