My daughter is 2.5. It's obviously a difficult age, but apart from some tantrums, she is a really cheerful, communicative, and bright child. The only real issue I have with her is that she keeps hitting me.
- It happens when we play together, and she is relaxed and happy, and then suddenly she slaps my face. When I say "playing", it's usually something like jigsaw puzzles, singing together, etc. It's not a cry for attention as I fully concentrate on whatever we are doing.
- She does not hit anyone else – she attends a nursery, and the staff there have told me this is not an issue. She also doesn't hit her dad.
- My partner and I have been very consistent and always say, "No, you can't hit mummy". Depending on the situation, I either put her down on the floor or take a few steps away to signal that I am upset.
There has been no improvement. I managed to get rid of other bad habits, like no feet on the table, and that didn’t take her long to learn, but the hitting has been going on for 8 months now. I think she probably feels safe and wants to test boundaries with me, but is there something I am doing wrong? It's so frustrating – I’m worried I’ll snap at some point.