DD (15 months) slapping DH in the face

[SayCoolNowSayWhip]

I have posted this in Chat as well.....

DD is a very happy and loving / loved child. She's fifteen months. The last few weeks she has been randomly slapping DH round the face. She understands "no", but when we tell her "no" to this, she continues to do it. She sometimes hits him using his phone as well.

She has done it to me as well a few times but not as often.

Any ideas as to why she is doing this?

I really don't feel as if she's trying to inflict pain as such. It seems almost more like a reflex / frustration or something.

Thanks all.

Is your DH very annoying?

My DD is doing a lot of hitting and scratching atm (shes 17mths) and I've noticed that shes worse when shes hungry, tired or teething/under the weather.

I think they are just trying out new things and experimenting with reactions (yours and your DHs).

My advise would be to just tell her 'no' like you have been and distract her with something else.

I would be careful not to 'reward' by giving too much attention for bad behaviour

-so keep the distraction simple.

Hehehehe Not all the time.....

Thanks for the response. I think you're right about attention. We do just firmly say "no" and if she continues to do it then we put her down and distract her.

He's just really hurt because he's taking it personally.

Ds is 18 months and does this sometimes. I think he's frustrated as he isn't talking much and trying to make some sort of connection. (I was thinking the other day its like when people throw something at the stage at a gig - you've paid for ticket, its an amzing gig, why are you chucking your shoe at the guitarist?)

And yes I also find its happens when he is tired etc.

I also make sure I tell him it hurts, I don't like it etc. And show him nice ways of touching - he kisses everything in sight now, even the moon through the window.

OH dear, I think he needs to stop taking it personally - she's only tiny, FGS! She's just testing her boundaries, I'm sure - DS used to do similar. THen he moved onto proper attention seeking and started to pull at my face to make me look at him - he still tries this now but gets short shrift!

She may just be enjoying the sensory experience as well as the reaction she's getting; or if he's a bit grizzly, she might be slapping him to get his stubbly face away from her!

I think if she does continue, saying no with the immediate put-down and step away might be a good way to deal with it. That's what I used to do when DS bit me while feeding - instant cessation of both lovely snuggly warmth and opportunity to repeat the offence.