18 month old smacking

[micegg]

My 18 month old DD keeps smacking me and my friends children . She is my only child and I dont know what to do. She doesnt hurt. It just seems to be something she does to get attention. I get down to her level and say "no. no hitting" but she just laughs at me (even with my sternest voice!). One of my friends suggested putting her in her cot every time she does it so she understands not to do it. I thought she is a but young for this. Any suggestions?

Just because something works doesn't make it right. Beating a baby with riding crop would work - it's still a barbaric thing to do.

when a child is able to answer, coherantly, the question "Why is that a bad thing to do?" or at least understand the question mentally.

Not when a baby is capable of raising her tiny hand.

frances5 "I think a baby becomes a toddler when he/she starts to walk and talk and starts showing that they have will of their own. " - mine always showed they had a will of their own from day 1!
i think the idea of a toddler being more sensible/reasonable than a baby is wrong. you can talk to them but they don't understand the complexity of things.

micegg - i agree with everyone re. ignoring her when you can. when she's with other children perhaps you should get down on the floor with her and play too/give her things to hold/try and distract her before she hits and then she will get out of the habit.

Frances - where have you got the idea that anyone has suggested imprisoning their toddler? I assume the "holding hand tightly" was aimed at me? It stops him pinching and he looks at me when I do it so I am able to say "no" with eye contact and it is all over in about 10 secs and I don't hold it any tighter than when he walks holding my hand! I would be amazed if anyone seeing me do it would find it unacceptable. Any kind of time out would take much lonegr and I really don't think he would understand.

My 15 month old does this a bit. One of the kids at the childminders hwho is older has been wahcking her a bit now and then when he can and she came home doing it the other day.

I just held her hand and said no then instantly distracted her with soemthing else each time she's done it. It's been working so far.

pretty much what I do TEeCee and similar age DC - he lapses occasionally but generally when he's tired. I also thinks he's picked it up from older ones at the CM. She's pretty good at stopping it though and we have both agreed to stick to the same appraoch which helps.

Thanks for all your replies. My 'No's' must be working as she slapped me today and I said 'no' once and she cried and didnt do it again for the rest of the day. asked nursery i she is hitting children but they said she wasnt. She is quite mischevious and just starting to test what she can get away with. I think what I will do is (gently) hold her hand to get her attention and no I am serious when I say no and then distract. As I said she doesnt hit hard but it still makes me feel bad when she does it to my friends kids - particularly the ones whose kids dont do it to her!