toddler hit me and laughed

[milkyman]

I know it's common but my 22mth ds hit me round the face at a softplay session today in front of another parent. It was v painful and I was so shocked I didn't know what to do. He laughed and tried to do it again. He then went to hit her child which he's never done before. She ushered her child away and I was so embaressed. He's done a bit of hitting but nothing like this. I think he was jealous as I was talking to the parent and child. What should I have done?

I would just calmly and quietly take their hand away and say we don't hit people, it is unkind. If they hit someone else, I would say the same thing, apologise and take my child away.

Really sympathise. My DD did exactly this in front of DM, MIL and SIL around the same age and I was mortified, so hurt (physically and emotionally) and shocked! I took her quietly away (just because I was so shocked, not because of my zen-like parenting style!) and told her no and we went home straight away, and I made it very clear to her why we were leaving. She did it a couple of times, normally when something had happened to her that she couldn't control and didn't like (other kids pushing etc). The only thing that worked with her during this hitting phase was to act like it was the most boring thing in the world and say 'oh dear, no we do not hit, hitting hurts, I'll come back when you're calmer' and walk away. I tried lots of other things, but only this worked. Good luck, it's horrible but it does pass :)