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Biting, Hitting, Bullying Draw the line at biting, hitting, and bullying. While a toddler needs to express his emotions physically and to act out his feelings, he does not have the right to hurt others. Some parents believe that a child who deliberately hurts should be hurt back. This is completely illogical from a child's point of view. Hitting your child to prevent his hitting someone else just can't be taken seriously. The force of argument is much stronger if no one hits anyone, ever. When he hits, take his hands and say "No, I know you're angry, but we don't hit people. Hitting hurts and it's awful…" Suggest some other way that he can vent his pent-up fury. Some families have a special pillow or cushion of angry pummelling. Others teach the child to throw a tissue or paper towel just as hard as he can. The vital thing is to make it clear to the aggressive child that it is not the anger you disapprove of, but only his hurtful way of showing it. The child who is accustomed to using physical violence to get his own way, or to having it used against him when other people want their way, is the one who is most likely to hurt other children on purpose. Take every opportunity to teach the child that other people's feelings are generally the same as his. Also, don't expect pre-school children to play in the company of others without supervision. Social controls are not strong enough. Tempers are still precarious, and new forethought can be lost in the heat of the moment. If everyone is armed with swords and play is getting rough, it is no use exhorting them to "be careful." Take the swords away and suggest something else.
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COMMON
CHILDHOOD ILLNESSES &
INFECTIONS
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CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT |
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Eating
Biting,
Hitting, Bullying
