Biting! Anyone else with a chompy toddler?

[AngryGnome]

DS is 20 months old, and a very sweet and very affectionate little boy with adults. Other children...not so much. We are having the usual problems with sharing, taking turns that are so common at this age, and I'm not really worried about that.

However, the other day I invited round a new mum I met recently, and yes, you've guessed it, DS bit her little boy on the hand. I was absolutely mortified. We made a big fuss of her little boy, and I explained sternly to DS that what he had done was not kind etc. DS found this hilarious, and am now woried that the biting will continue. I already have to watch him like a hawk, as he is quite strong for his age, and likes to play in a very rough and tumble way which can end up with him squashing other children, or being squashed if he has decided to play with bigger boys and girls.

Any advice from those who have been there? He doesn't talk yet, although his comprehension is pretty good, and I'm not sure I want to try the naughty step route.

My DD did this only a few times, but when it had happened I was mortified and did all the things you said, especially watching for any signs of bad behaviour. They grow out of it...
MY DS however likes to bite me and confuses the look of pain on my face with one for laughter, he is only 2, but at least he's not doing it to other children...yet.
Just be consistent and eventually your DS being ignored while another child is fussed over will get the message over.
It is a stage, it passes, it is horrid while it happens but is perfectly normal.

Both my children bit others at nursery a few times when they were this age......and both were also bitten on ocassions from other children at the nursery so i think its pretty common at this age. My 2 are older now (5 and 4) and apart from the few isolated incidents when they were younger have not done it since.
I think you have done the right thing - stern warning at the time of incident, then not too much fuss about it. It is a phase and is quite normal, most (if not all when parents will own up to it!) toddlers do it
If you don't want to go the naughty step route, why not say to him stop that it hurts and if he doesn't stop, simply remove him from the area of play into a corner for a bit to show that he can only be in a certain space if he can play nicely?

I havent got any children yet (im 29weeks preg), but i know afew of my cousins who are now almost adults who went through this stage (so im told) and when they bit another child, the parents told the bitten child to bite their child back. (to teach them that it hurts and its not nice). If the bitten child doesnt want to bite them back, then my aunties bit their child instead to show them that biting really does hurt and isnt funny etc. Their child never bit another child again.

Im not sure whether you would get away with that these days!

Thanks for the advice! Not sure I want to encourage other children to bit back though!

I suppose I just have to grit teeth and get through this as a stage. Have (so far) always been pretty chilled out as a parent and this is the first thing that has got to me - I don't want him to be the little boy no-one invites to parties! I guess I will stick to the usual stern voice and hope that over time it sinks in.

Wish me luck!

My DS bit a couple of times - only me or DH though, and I used my sternest voice to say "NO. We do NOT bite. Biting hurts and you have hurt mummy". He would laugh, but I think slightly out of nervousness if anything.

We still see the occasional chomp on things but it's normal and they do grow out of it.

Tbh, I think other parents understand and don't mind as long as it looks like you're doing something - if you just give a wishy washy "no biting darling" then people feel a bit hrumph.