This toddler biting phase is stressing me out...

Luckily Riley is not in daycare this summer- she is at the peak of needing to bite any time she is frustrated.

Granted, those 2 year molars are coming through and she has that much less patience for things.

I KNOW this is normal. But when your sister makes her little remarks to make you think it's not because HER kids didn't do it...

But I digress.

She will bite ANYTHING. Not just people. She'll go for a table, a couch, a step, a wall (VERY frustrating to her when she realizes she can't sink her teeth into a wall ).

I've noticed the latest victim is my mom. Anytime my mom tries to grab her and take her away from something she's not supposed to do.

I know I'm supposed to help her avoid these moments- and believe me, anytime we have playdates I am SO on top of her. I can definitely help her in that respect. And if she does it, I explain that biting hurts and do all the things you're 'supposed to do.' But the fact that she will just go right for a wall...it kinda concerns me.

I guess I'm really here for support...I know we just have to ride out this phase. It's the worst when I talk to my friend who's son is in Riley's class and she talks about how often he got bit this year and I want to DIE thinking it could have been Riley (I know there are others) and her son hasn't even begun this phase - if he ever will! Riley has had her share of bites too, and her teachers assure me this is not the worst case they've seen, but then again, she's not there right now and, like I said, it's at its peak.

Woah, sorry for the long windedness....thanks for listening.

Re: This toddler biting phase is stressing me out...

NORMAL!!!!! Mads was a biter when she was frustrated. She bit her toys, her sister, HERSELF. We consistently told her, "Ow, biting hurts" and would remove her from wherever she was.

As she got older, it stopped.

Re: This toddler biting phase is stressing me out...

why does normal not make me feel better?

Seriously, instead of normal I wanna hear "Biting?? That's like breathing, pooping! They ALL do it!"

How long would you say this phase went on?

Thanks though!

Re: This toddler biting phase is stressing me out...

I distinctly remember being "worried" when Mads went to nursery school she'd bite- and she was 2years, 2 months when she started there. I'd say by the time we closed in on 3 she had completely stopped, so maybe 2.5?

Sorry for the fuzzy memory.

Re: This toddler biting phase is stressing me out...

Amy, I guess we're not normal cuz we're the only two in this thread today.

Re: This toddler biting phase is stressing me out...

oh boy is this taboo?

now I REALLY feel abnormal

Re: This toddler biting phase is stressing me out...

We've been struggling with this as well. Just when we think DS is done with this phase we get a report from day care or he bites us.

Re: This toddler biting phase is stressing me out...

You're not alone

I have a DD who's a biter, and a DS who's a hitter. She started biting around 1 and went through a phase for several months, then it stopped. Then last week it started again She bit her babysitter when she didn't get her way. She attempted to bite another kid when she didn't get a toy she wanted (thankfully the sitter caught her in time). And just yesterday, DS hit her in a fight over who gets to wash their hands first at the sink. Her response was to bite him in the leg. If one more person tells me that "babies bite to express their frustration", I'm going to go nuts. I'm waiting for this phase to pass as well!

Re: This toddler biting phase is stressing me out...

Not alone. JJ is finally starting to come out of this stage. like you I was at my wits end bc anyone you encountered that did not have a child like this made me feel like my son was bad.

We bought the book "teeth are not for biting" which we started to read everyday. There is a phrase in their "teeth are not for biting. Biting hurts" & now everytime JJ goes to bite l, we say this to hi & he grabs his book to read it. We had tried everything & so far this is the only thing that has worked.

Re: This toddler biting phase is stressing me out...

Thanks everyone, and thanks Kristen- I really need to get that book!

And that's exactly it- with every parent that has a kid that doesn't do it, it makes you feel that much worse and helpless!

Oh but there's progress! She saw my mom today, we talked about the biting and she said "Feel better now?" We both almost DIED!!! It was so sweet!! She is so much better when she gets good sleep and isn't in major teething pain.

Message edited 7/15/2011 3:10:50 PM.

Re: This toddler biting phase is stressing me out...

"Don't, don't, don't bite your friends..... bite, bite, bite??.. no, no, no"

I know you don't want to hear this... but it IS a phase. I think you know Samantha was doing this too out of frustration, and lack of being able to fully communicate her needs. But, now that she talks for "real" these biting episodes are few and far between.

We really drilled into her the need to say "help" when she needed it. Once she grasped the consept of help, it really did keep the biting down to a minimum.



ETA: L and I would also tell her, that we don't bite anyone or anything.... that it's not nice and we just give hugs and kisses....

Message edited 7/15/2011 5:08:05 PM.