Having a hard time with DS sleeping and question about hitting...

I'm having a really rough time with getting DS to bed. Just a little background info: Lucas turned 1 on 1/10, is doing well but DH or I usually have to rock him to sleep unless he is absolutely exhausted, in which case he falls asleep on his own. Now it's also an issue with naptime - Lucas does not want to nap at daycare and fights sleeping both during the day and at night. He will attempt to pull at my hair really hard, which I know babies do but I feel like he is doing it to get a reaction out of me and out of his own frustration. He also attempts to hit me on the face with his hand and when I firmly tell him "NO" and pull his hand away, he giggles and thinks I'm joking. I've tried to show him how to "make nice" to Mommy immediately after he hits as well.

I should add that I'm a school psychologist in an elementary school and am very involved with analyzing behaviors of different students, creating behavior plans, etc. These are obviously much older kids though. I honestly don't know what strategies to use with a 12 month old! I feel like Lucas is too young to comprehend a lot of this, so I'm not sure how to proceed. I know I shouldn't feel like this, but I feel like a failure. I know I am setting up bad habits by rocking him to sleep every night, but whenever I've tried the CIO method, I can't last more than 5 minutes! I always end up going in and getting DS.

Is this hitting/hair pulling out of what I think is frustration and/or to get a reaction out of me typical at this age? How should I be reacting? Any tips would be appreciated. TIA!

Re: Having a hard time with DS sleeping and question about hitting...

no advice but

Re: Having a hard time with DS sleeping and question about hitting...

BUMP for more advice...

Re: Having a hard time with DS sleeping and question about hitting...

This sounds exactly like what I went through with Johnny...from the rocking to bed (bad habit i can't break) to the hitting phase.

All I can say is that he grew out of it...around 12/13 months he would raise his hand and smack my face and smile. I would firmly pull his hand away and say "NO". When he did it again, i'd do the same thing and say "NO" a little louder...eventually he would get upset and realize he hurt me and would stop.

Of course he'd forget all over again and the next day he'd attempt it...all i can say is at that age they are too young for discipline..they don't understand really....I was told to ignore the behavior but I couldn't sit back and let him hit and not react. And believe me, with me firmly saying no, he would eventually get the point.

However...I am going through him kicking now when he's being changed. It's such a PITA!! The second the diaper comes off, he kicks his legs and giggles...sometimes he kicks me (not on purpose) and i keep saying "NO KICKING!!" but he doens't get. His father lets him kick all the time, he thinks its funny...not to me, lol!!

Good luck. I really think its a phase that will pass....

Re: Having a hard time with DS sleeping and question about hitting...

Thank you!