Plese tell me how you successfully stopped your child biting....

[jojo76]

My ds who is 20 months is really enjoying biting at the moment, and it's now got to the point where he does it all the time, when he's excited, or cross and it seems like sometimes, just for the hell of it. Yesterday, he wanted the toy his big brother had, and because he coundn't get it, he launched himself on ds1, two fists full of hair and did a wide open mouth anaconda style bite on the top of his head! this was accompanied by feral style roaring and he was trying to bite with such force that he was actually shaking
So far, i've tried removing him from who ever he is biting and plonking him unceremoniously accross the other side of the room with a firm "no biting", removing him but not paying it much attention, shouting at him and so on. I haven't been consistent and need to have an approach and stick to it, so what worked for you, can someone give me some ideas so I can formulate a plan, or should I just get him a muzzle??

I know you are right, dashboardconfessionals, I should be more blase about it! I think if he was someone elses, it would be quite funny, he is like a little tasmanian devil!! But as he's mine, and my first never did it (he just screamed and shouted!), I'm just a bit outraged by the whole thing!!! AND i'm a childminder, but just haven't come accross such a DETERMINED TO DRAW BLOOD biter yet....

You could buy a muzzle .

Probably best to say "no biting" firmly. Be very sympathetic to the bitee (show your ds that biting means someone else gets attention) - same as what dashboard is saying really...

If it's a "phase" then mine has been in it for a bleedin' long time! DS is 2.9 and has been biting since he was 1. Tried everything suggested here. It's not so bad now and he is full of remorse after he has done it, he just can't seem to help himself. Only ever done when excited or tired. Am hoping it's on it's last stretch. Was only ever myself, DH or my mum and dad so never incurred wrath of other parents.

let older dc bite them back!

(personally was out raged that it got to this as older dc never bit! and cried as bit younger dc back (such a sensitative soul!)!, but it stopped it!!!)

I have seen many programmes (for what they are worth) that have suggested you pay absolutely NO ATTENTION to the biter but instead give lots of sympathy and attention to the bitee and when they see they don't even get negative attention they tend to stop. But I am also inclind (why can't I spell that word right? It looks wrong no matter what I do!!) to go with DabblesinGettingOld's idea too. I have a friend who's toddler went through a pinching phase and it got to the point where it was so prolific (often they don't know it actually causes pain) - she started pinching her back. She learnt pretty quick after that.

I managed the biting phase for a while, then one day he really hurt me. I bit him back, not as hard I hasten add. The shock on his face.................well he never did it again.

Ever.

LOL @ let older dc bite them back, gawd it would end up in carnage in this house!!

Ok, I'm gonna go with ignore him and lavish attention on the bitten one.....

I just don't know if I could bite him back LGJ, although your success story is tempting! I know it's the sort of thing that my ds1 would announce to the world with glee....

That's true - kids at that age, will have you hung drawn and quartered when you've done nothing. Wee b*stards!!

haha, exactly!!