Grrr... my fault as attention seeking but grrr!

[EmmaCate]

My DS (2.3) is always chewing things, normally paper and cardboard, often when he's not actively engaged in something. He has chewed 'knobs' off two jigsaw pieces and hunked down on another two; not quite destroying them. Not so much anymore, but we have plenty of nice books with chewed corners.

It drives me nuts! I can't (and don't) go mad as he'll do it more but I end up internalising and thinking nasty things about what I'd like to do to him... I get as mad with myself because it's always when I'm doing the washing up or posting on MN and he's obviously doing it to get a rise.

I don't think he's autistic and 'stimming' but does anyone else suffer with this and know when it might end?

DD is nearly three and still chews stuff in an absent-minded way. They like flexing their teeth - nothing you can do. Probably will still be chewing their pencils when they're adults.

If he's only 2 I doubt very much that he is doing it to annoy you. Toddlers can be very annoying but I don't think conceptually they are able to be so on purpose. Maybe find some things he is allowed to chew and direct towards that?

Thanks - Octavia that describes it well. A shame it could be for another year! But I always had a biting thing as a kid; used to chew the necks of hot water bottles, so probably a habit coming from me anyway.

Craving you are right I expect; that's just how it seems sometimes. Unfortunately dedicated chewing items don't work; if he has something in his hands he fancies it will be gnawed.

My eldest ds chewed the sleeves of jumpers. This was particularly annoying as I have 2 other ds's and would have liked to hand them down. He's 16 now and I find the memory endearing.