13 month old smacking my face - what to do?

[honeyharris]

My 13 month old son has recently started slapping me in the face quite hard, and laughing when I tell him no. I've tried holding his hands down when saying it, but the minute I release them he's back smacking me again. I'm not sure what to do as obviously I can't have him doing this and thinking it's funny. He's tried it a couple of times with his dad but it mostly seems to be reserved for me.

[Newtobecomingamum]

My two year old started doing this.

The only thing that worked was not reacting to it and immediately distracting him. He is laughing as he is getting attention, if he doesn't get attention he will get bored.

Eg my son would suddenly slap me I'm the face whilst sitting on my lap watching a cartoon. Yes it hurt, but I would quickly distract and pretend to hear an aeroplane outside and get him to help me look out the window and turn it into a game.

It's all about not reacting to the behaviour (although it's difficult) but does work. Only lasted a week or so and he got bored.

Good luck and try not to take it personally as it's a stage they go through testing boundaries. It really upset me first of all until I read up more about it and saw other babies/toddlers doing it!!

Good luck

[LikeASoulWithoutAMind]

My ds started biting me at exactly the same age. They don't know what they are doing. I think it's mainly curiosity - what happens if I do this? Every time he did it I said nothing, no reaction at all but put him safely on the floor and walked off. He got the message pretty quickly.

[BarbarianMum]

I had similar. Each time I put him down on the floor quickly and walked away (we were at home, I'd add - I didn't abandon him in the supermarket). He didn't like that and stopped within a week.

[blueduvet]

My baby's doing this as well, she's 1. I've been saying no and hoping eventually she gets the message it isn't acceptable.

[mojo17]

Yep remove him from your vicinity, every time saying no slapping
And get on with doing something else no nonsense He will get the message

[SunnyBaudelaire]

pick him up, put him down and move away from him.

[Littlef00t]

Yep I put dd on the floor as soon as she hits/bites me.

[sinkatron]

I'm so glad I came across this post. I could have written it. My 13 month old always hits me, only me never daddy, was beginning to take it personally. Glad I'm not alone!

[honeyharris]

Thanks everyone, yes maybe the eye contact when I tell him no is feeding it. Will keep it low key, remove him and see how it goes

[Kiwiinkits]

Put him down and walk away every time he does it. He will understand very quickly.

[Kiwiinkits]

Any action you feed with attention (either positive or negative attention) will be repeated. So withdraw attention from the stuff that you don't want to continue. And use a few simple words to explain. E.g. "No! We don't pull hair." Walk away.

[LostMySocks]

Don't forget after the short time of ignoring that toddlers can feel insecure so good to do a cuddle and then try the 'mummy loves you but we don't bite/hit'. I always get snuggles and a really gentle child after popping him on the floor. Obviously doing the day sorry thing doesn't work when they're little but does mean that it doesn't come as a surprise as they get a little older