Almost 2 year old pulling my hair - help!

[Dottydoodoo]

I have a DS who is 22 months old. He is going through a phase (I really hope it's a phase ) of grabbing my hair with both hands and giving it a good tug. This mostly happens before nap time and bedtime when he is tired, or if he gets over excited. The trouble is I'm not sure how to deal with it! If I get cross and tell him off he laughs and does it again. I am trying to completely ignore him when he does it, just try and prise my hair out of his hands and then move away without saying anything but it's really hard. He has such a strong grip on my hair that it often takes both hands to untangle one of his, and then when I've got one hand free before I know it he has grabbed a handful of hair again.

Please help me mumsnet! Has anyone else had this with their little one and how did you deal with it? Will this carry on forever? I'm going to be bald if this goes on much longer. In all seriousness as stupid as it sounds it's starting to get me a bit down. I don't feel as if I can sit and play with DS in case he suddenly grabs my hair and I find myself flinching when he comes too close which I don't want.

Just to add, it doesn't make any difference if my hair is down or tied up he will get it! It is a little bit more than shoulder length. Might consider shaving my head if this continues!

Untangle hands, a firm 'No' then stand up so he can't get at it would be my tactic. You'd have to do it every single time.

Thank you for your reply.

It's the every single time where I think I am failing. I really try to be consistent but sometimes it hurts so much my first instinct is to get cross. DH's response is to tell him off too which although I have said not to, falls on deaf ears

The joys of toddlerhood! So far today he has not done it, but it's only 2.30.............

Toddlers can be very testing! I have two, one was sent by the Lake Poets and the other was sent by Satan himself. Ds (the people pleaser who just wants to be a good boy)is generally very easy to discipline becasue rewards and star charts etc work very well. Getting even a little bit cross with him works and puts a stop to any bad behaviour. Even so we had some ...er testing times when he was younger. Dd would laugh in my face if I got cross and only calm, consistent removal of either her or whatever she is destroying works. They are generally pretty good though, sometimes we can go all week before I have and moment of smugness and it all goes to pot.... like yesterday when dd bit ds and drew blood. Just goes to show you must never be smug!

The only thing that stopped DD2 was to grab hold of her hand firmly while it was still in my hair. I'd hold her fist in place so she couldn't take it away. I didn't let go for about 10 secs, by which time she really wanted to get her hand away.
It didn't hurt her but she really didn't like it!