Toddler kicking baby

[DesignedForLife]

My 2.6 year old has suddenly started semi-karate kicking my 7 month old in the face when he's sat playing with toys, or pushing him roughly trying to make him fall over.

How do I manage this? Time out doesn't work- she thinks it's a game. I use reward charts for good behaviour with some effect. It doesn't seem to be about the baby as such as she's sweet as pie with him at other times, brings him toys and so on. I think she just doesn't understand that he's not a dolly and can't play with her the way she wants.

I'm so very sorry but I did have a giggle at your choice of words

Karate kicking 😂

Watch her and it looks like a karate kick

She most probably doesn't understand, my sister used to do similar things to me when we were children.

It turned around & I ended up hitting her.

Does she do it casually or in anger??

I would be really firm over this serious tone telling her your very unhappy about how she is behaving its not nice and she could really hurt her baby. I would send her away from you and the baby until she can play nicely possibly even removing tv or something else she likes.

It could end up really hurting the baby imagine how you would feel if the baby really banged his head or got kicked in the eye its. I really dont think it matters why she does it it just needs to stop. I also have a 7 month old and a 5 year old who likes to run about pretending to be spiderman so i understand how hard it can be.

Would a play pen help you to prevent her being able to get to the baby when you can't be right there supervising? I've found the free standing fence type ones useful at times. Sometimes changing the set up so the behaviour can't happen helps stop it being a game or habit and they forget about it. (Or find something else dire to do instead!)

She's doing it casually almost as if to see what happens. I am very stern with her - stern voice and straight to time out but she doesn't seem to care.

I am obviously aware the baby could get hurt that's why I'm asking for help. I never leave them alone together for this reason, I've usually caught her before she hits him. I just can't seem to get through to her. I've taken away toys and so on. I might try taking away one of her stars off her star chart.

I'll look at getting a play pen but to be honest I'm skint at the moment due to redundancy so not sure how I'll manage it. I might try the travel cot.

Maybe try a local charity shop or ebay with the play pen, you might well find one locally that someone's trying to get rid of? Try looking up puppy play pens as well as children's ones as those are the standalone fence things and work just as well for the short time you might find it useful.