Hi All, any advice here would be appreciated.
ds2 is going through a hitting phase at the moment, more often when he's hungry or tired, but quite often not. People and objects are both in the firing line. We manage it by taking his hand and firmly saying 'No we don't hit, be gentle' and then distracting him. We have never smacked him or ds1 and we are quite a calm and laid back household. He is in a good routine and although teething quite badly, is eating well and sleeping ok.
I understand that this is a phase he is going through, even ds1 who is a very calm and gentle child went through a scratching phase at this age for a few months, but my childminder (whom I really like) seems to be getting quite upset by it, which is understandable as he does to it to the other dc in her care and even her own 4yo ds. Almost every morning she tells me about how much he has hit, how she tries a lot but it doesn't work/he doesn't understand and do I have any suggestions? I get quite anxious about dropping him off now, unfortunately I will take what she has said and keep mulling over it during the day until I am basically at a point in my head that she is asking us to leave- every single time.
So can anybody help? My suspicion is that he will grow out of it, that there is nothing we can do except what we are doing already, but at least I can say I tried! Thanks....