3 year old biting me

[CycleWoman]

I’m at the end of my tether with my 3 year old DS and wondered if anyone had some advice!

He turned 3 this month but since about Xmas he has been having horrible tantrums. Usually when he is asked to do something he doesn’t want to (tidy up toys, stop playing and leave the house etc). All very normal. We’ve been working really hard to help him with this by telling him well in advance of what is happening next, making sure he’s not tired/hungry/thirsty, rewarding good behaviour (lots of praise, little stickers etc). He has improved a lot but still has the odd epic tantrum, again pretty normal.

When he has these tantrums he screams hysterically, throws himself on the floor, hits and worst of all bites me. It has happened today and yesterday and the bites are so bad I have bruises and he’s drawn blood. It sounds pathetic but the biting is really upsetting me!

I bought that ‘teeth are not for biting book’ but he evidently hasn’t got the message!!

Any ideas how to stop the biting?

How do you discipline him after he bites you?

Wait until his calmed down and talk it through with him. Then usually one of his toys goes away for a period but it doesn’t really work.

Time out and naught step don’t work as he just runs screaming from both of them.

If he bites, pick him up INSTANTLY (swoop him up) and physically deposit him in a different room.
Say, "I am putting you here because you bit me. Biting is not okay. You can stay here until you say sorry!"
Shut the door, walk away.

When you've both calmed down, go back to him. Get down to his level eye to eye. Say "I put you in this room alone because you bit me. Are you ready to say sorry?" (they always do) then when he says sorry give him a big hug and say "it's okay, don't bite me again, I love you."

It's the direct, instant swooping up and physically depositing them in a different place that gets the message home. Talking, yelling does nothing.

Taking toys away does nothing at this age. Talking, all they hear is the first three words then 'blah blah blah blah blah'. Don't forget they've only just learned how to speak. They pick up on physical cues way more than language.

'Are you ready to say sorry?" (they always do) then when he says sorry give him a big hug and say "it's okay, don't bite me again, I love you.'

I agree with swooping your ds up and putting him I a different room but they sobt always say sorry right away as this pp suggests. My ds will say 'no sorry' he is very stubborn. It can take a few attempts before he will apologise. Be prepared to be leaving him in the room for 3 minutes and for leaving him I extra time if a nother tantrum occurs. They dont always calm right down after the first time.

dont+