How to stop 17m old DS pulling hair and hitting?

[SilverSixpence]

Hi,was hoping for some advice please - DS is a lovely, bright little boy, but he's got into the habit of wanting to hold and pull my hair (hard!) when he's either going to sleep or waking up. He does it at other times of the day too, but it's worst at those times. He doesn't do it as much to other people, although he does like to go for other toddlers hair at times too, we recently had a nightmare visit to someone's house and I had to follow him round constantly to stop him doing it.

How can I teach him to stop doing it? I've tried moving his hand away and saying 'Mummy doesn't like that' or 'that hurts, please don't do that' but it doesnt really make any difference. Or is it just a matter of damage control until he's old enough to understand (and when will that be?). He's at nursery 4 days a week, would that be a factor do you think?

He is too young to understand the long, complicated sentences you are using.

He sounds perfectly normal - it is a phase.

As with any unacceptable behaviour at this sort of age, you have to consistantly say "no", and remove him from whatever it is he is doing.

Distraction is another technique you can use - give him something else to do with his hands.

It will pass, you just have to persevere.

thanks, just to clarify, I say one or other not both!

Yes - I realised you would only say one or the other, but still way too complex for a 17 month old. "No" plus moving him away is as much as he can understand.