Child bitten at nursery - how to help at home?

[MumblesAndMutters]

My 2yo DD has been bitten at nursery this week. These things happen and we’re happy enough with how the nursery is handling it. I feel so awful for her, she’s a gentle soul, the bite was unprovoked and is on her face too, but DH and I are channeling calm and not making a big deal.

DD is sensitive, to the extent she’ll sometimes cry if she sees a random child fall over and get hurt in the park or at (age appropriate) cartoons. Even though we’ve not really spoken about the incident since the day it happened, she definitely hasn’t forgotten and says at drop off she’s “nervous” to go to nursery - but goes in no tears - and her keyworker says she’s understandably more clingy and weepy. We tell her it’s ok to be nervous, it wasn’t her fault what happened and that her teacher will always help her.

I feel this has knocked her confidence - any tips for building up a sensitive toddler after this? We’re doing all her favourite things this weekend, again not mentioning the incident, just to cheer her up.

@MumblesAndMutters Hi OP Sorry to hear this happened to your DD but like you say, its one of those things.

As awful as it sounds, I wouldn't mention the incident. When she says shes nervous, speak to her about the positives of nursery, what she likes doing etc. But hopefully after a weekend of doing her favourite things, she may feel better about the incident?

This is my nightmare. My son bites his twin all the time and I cannot take my eye of him for a second in playgroup because he will bite other toddlers. The advice I have been given is to make a lot of fuss about the bitten child and ignore the one who is biting. Do you know how the nursery staff react when it happens?

My daughter was 2.5 when I started taking her to a drop off playgroup once per week. The second time she calmly told me she'd cry if she needed me. Further careful investigation revealed via DD's carefree account that the first week another child had cried and their mummy had been called. Then that "Little Boy" had hit her with a hammer! A few mre casual questions revealed that he DD was unashamed to have taken "Little Boy"'s (plastic toy) wrench first and run off, hitting him with it when he tried to retrieve it...

On the other hand I used to childmind and once had to explain to a parent that her lovely, placid, DD had been completely randomly bitten at toddlers group - the biter's mum was mortified and shocked. It really was out of the blue.

I think you're doing everything right in just telling her that her teachrs will look after her, but sometimes, just sometimes, as with my DD, its worth a few deliberately chosen casual questions..,