My DS is 16.5 months old and has recently started hitting other toddlers ? but only when I am around. He goes to a childminder for three days a week and she says that he never does it when he is with her, either to the other children she looks after or when they go to playgroups ? he is a perfect angel with her! But whenever I take him to a playgroup or we are with friends and their toddlers, he will take a swipe at one of them or try and hit them with a book/brick/whatever ? I feel like I have to hover over him. At the moment, when he does it I say to him ?No, we don?t hit because it hurts? and then try and distract him. He knows that he isn?t meant to do it as he will go and try and do it again, whilst looking straight at me. He went through a phase of hitting me in the face but doesn?t do it very often now (I just put him down / moved away and so he got pretty bored of it, I think). He?s obviously doing it for attention and I think he gets jealous (if I hold another baby he goes nuts!)
Does any one have experience of this ? how did you handle it? Obviously I have to do something but I am also aware that I am probably giving him the attention he wants (I do give him plenty of attention as it is and always try and reward good behaviour). Help! I don?t want to have to hide away at home!