Anyone else out there got a 2.4 year old who hits, bites and pulls hair of other children?

[worriedmum34]

I've another thread, but essentially does anyone elses lo do this to other children?

Ds is loving and cuddly at home, and is always very affectionate with dh, me and his teddies. But the minute another child passes him in the street, or at the nursery he lashes out.

He is unable to share. But he does want to play with other children, but within seconds it goes horribly wrong and he has hurt them.

Both cm and family are beginning to comment.

Went to view a preschool today, as I feel he needs more opportunities to interact with other children and while he was there he managed to pull out a handfull of hair from little girl who just wanted to cuddle him.
Last week he bit a child at soft play leaving a full set of teeth marks on the childs cheek

I just don't know what to do. I work full time, and he is an only child. If he does anything at home he has a timeout, but we hardly have to use this as he is normally quite good at home. It's just other children.

Any ideas?

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I don't think the not sharing is anything to be worried about. IME at this age they may enjoy being around other children but play alongside, rather than with the other child.

My DD is the same age and is the youngest of 3. She pulls people's hair - quite hard, and has pulled clumps of hair out. I find it very embarassing so I really sympathise with you, especially over the biting.

I don't really have any advice I'm afraid, other than to keep a close eye on him so you can grab him before he gets that awful blood-lust crazed look in his eye (please tell me it's not just my DD who gets this!) and before too much hair is removed/skin broken.

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The trouble is though, I'm not there when he does this, it's just the times he is at nursery or if a family member has him and their children are there. He doesn't hurt me or dp.

I thought the preschool might help as I thought he would need more interaction with children

Or do you think he is too young?

I have one who uses me as her punchbag, she doesnt go to nursery but does go to M&T i am quite concerned that it is only a matter of time!

Message withdrawn

worriedmum - my DS did this at around that age and we found it was more to do with his speech than him being spiteful! He was slow in speech development and his way of getting the other kids attention was to bite, scratch etc - not in a nasty way but he didn't know how else to communicate with them. His speech is now much better and he seems to have stopped and even nursery commented on how he doesn't scratch anymore. How is his speech can others understand him??

Thank you everyone - he's had a good day today, so hopefully it's all normal terrible 2 behaviour.

I had a similar thing with DD when she was 2. We dealt with it in the house and out with timeout. Tbh it was always worse out with other children and I had to force myself to carry on going to playgroup etc.

At about 2.7 yrs old she just stopped doing it and ive not had to deal with it since.
I think its partly age and the developmental stage they are at. Choose your disipline method, stick with it and eventually youll find that it gets better.