14mo hitting

[GloriaMumble]

DD (14 months) has started hitting me in the face (hard). She hasn't yet hit anyone else. At the moment I say "No DD, don't hit mummy" in a stern voice and then in a nicer voice "be gentle", holding her hands but she just giggles and hits me again at which point I put her down on the floor and she just screams, lies down and goes rigid kicking her feet.

So at this point should I just let her scream (given that she's too young for time out) or is there a better way to handle the hitting differently from the beginning.

I would be very stern as you are doing, but do not hold her hands because it sounds as though she sees it as a game and you can't allow this to continue!! Be very stern and tell her no hitting, whenever she does it if she screams, lies down or kicks her feet ignore it because you don't want to give her attention when shes done something naughty. Once shes calm and finished i would ask her for cuddle and try and explain that hitting mummy very bad, hard with 14mth old i know but they do understand a lot more than you think, the key is to be consistent and if you turn away and don't give any eye contact also this can have huge impact, have you tried the pretend crying trick yet as this can work a treat on some children, it sounds cruel but they need to realise that it hurts!!!