Hitting and the naughty step - Help!

[MiniLlace]

My DD who is 2 1/2 is a little to 'bright' for her own good. Recently she has taken to hitting me when she doesn't get her way. The first time I told her it was not nice to hit mummy etc ... the behaviour continued so I took her and sat her on the naughty step (never had to use before this). When she was ready to say sorry she came back. However a day later (last sunday) she came up, looked me in the eye, said she wanted to sit on the naughty step and then proceeded to hit me and take herself off to the step .... Im at a loss!!! what should I try next?

DS is only 15 months so I might be talking rubbish, but I think if this happened to me I would try natural consequences. If you are doing something nice together, for example, stop the very moment she hits you and tell her very firmly that hitting hurts so mummy can't play anymore. Or go home if you're out.

If you're not in the middle of anything and she just hits you, get down to her level and say very firmly "We do NOT hit, hitting hurts so mummy now needs to go to the bathroom/in the other room to take care of her hand/leg" (whatever part of your body she hit). Basically let her know it's not acceptable to hit and then do not give her attention for a little while, since she's doing it to get your attention.