Biting baby
Christy Putnam
Okay I am pretty sure it will just take time and patience but I have to ask
because it is really getting to be an issue. Our 14 mo. old, Aden, bites.
Not out of frustration or lack of words that I can tell. It is not because
of teething either. He does do it sometimes out of excitement but usually
it is just him coming up (or leaning towards us when we are holding him),
biting then laughing. This is not a new thing, he has done it most of his
life...since he figured out biting. The biting is getting more frequent and
harder. Of course at first it was kinda cute because he had no teeth but
now he is leaving bruises and teeth marks. He also even bites himself on
his arms/back of hands and laughs (leaving teeth marks then too). So he
thinks it is funny to bite and be bit.
We have always shown a sad face and told him that it hurts when he bites.
We say, "Ouch that hurts when you bite, its better to kiss" then give him a
big kiss or something similar to that. Of course, now that it hurts pretty
bad, the automatic reaction is to be startled and gasp before proceeding but
it never matters either way he still laughs (so he is not laughing because
of the startle reaction). Is there something more we can be doing to
re-direct this behavior? Is there something I am missing that could be
wrong/something he is wanting?
Thanks for your input!
In Gratitude,
Christy Putnam
Unschooling Mom to Aden (1) and Seth (11)
Loving wife of Chet (ann. 7/4/04)
<http://blog.myspace.com/personal_balance>
http://blog.myspace.com/personal_balance
"Go confidently in the direction of your
dreams. Live the life you have always
imagined." - Henry David Thoreau
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
because it is really getting to be an issue. Our 14 mo. old, Aden, bites.
Not out of frustration or lack of words that I can tell. It is not because
of teething either. He does do it sometimes out of excitement but usually
it is just him coming up (or leaning towards us when we are holding him),
biting then laughing. This is not a new thing, he has done it most of his
life...since he figured out biting. The biting is getting more frequent and
harder. Of course at first it was kinda cute because he had no teeth but
now he is leaving bruises and teeth marks. He also even bites himself on
his arms/back of hands and laughs (leaving teeth marks then too). So he
thinks it is funny to bite and be bit.
We have always shown a sad face and told him that it hurts when he bites.
We say, "Ouch that hurts when you bite, its better to kiss" then give him a
big kiss or something similar to that. Of course, now that it hurts pretty
bad, the automatic reaction is to be startled and gasp before proceeding but
it never matters either way he still laughs (so he is not laughing because
of the startle reaction). Is there something more we can be doing to
re-direct this behavior? Is there something I am missing that could be
wrong/something he is wanting?
Thanks for your input!
In Gratitude,
Christy Putnam
Unschooling Mom to Aden (1) and Seth (11)
Loving wife of Chet (ann. 7/4/04)
<http://blog.myspace.com/personal_balance>
http://blog.myspace.com/personal_balance
"Go confidently in the direction of your
dreams. Live the life you have always
imagined." - Henry David Thoreau
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Melanie Ilsley
Hi one of my twins has some developmental issues, she was a big biter, not anger, but she
seemed to need to chew. Or at least work her jaws, and she enjoyed the feeling of biting.
We actually bought and made teething toys for her at 18 mo. She is 5 now, and still is into
the chewing hard thing, our DR recommended gum and twizzlers. We really don't do those
but there are some alternatives. She loves dried mango and dried papaya, they seem to
satisfy the chewing/biting need. Although she sometimes chomps on straws, and all our
sippy cups are chewed. Hope this helps, she did stop biting people when we introduced the
alternatives, but it took a while. Melanie in vt (Lily 8, Grace and Emmett 5 on Monday the
13th!!!)
seemed to need to chew. Or at least work her jaws, and she enjoyed the feeling of biting.
We actually bought and made teething toys for her at 18 mo. She is 5 now, and still is into
the chewing hard thing, our DR recommended gum and twizzlers. We really don't do those
but there are some alternatives. She loves dried mango and dried papaya, they seem to
satisfy the chewing/biting need. Although she sometimes chomps on straws, and all our
sippy cups are chewed. Hope this helps, she did stop biting people when we introduced the
alternatives, but it took a while. Melanie in vt (Lily 8, Grace and Emmett 5 on Monday the
13th!!!)
S Drag-teine
I also have a 14 month old who bites but I also had a son who did the same
thing. We thought it was cute and made it a game when he was young and so he
would smile and laugh when he did it and by the time he had teeth and it
wasn't so cute anymore. We learned then that it takes longer to unlearn
something then it took to learn something so yes it is time and patience.
My daughter is also a biter and every once in a while she tries to kiss me
by biting my mouth. I don't always think it is intentional as it was with my
son more of hey look what I learned to do.
Just like most things we do with this age instead of no try the do this
instead when she tries to bite we give her something she can bite. "It hurts
me when you bite mommy. You can bite a carrot... (My son hated carrots, my
daughter loves them.) Or you can use a chew toy or whatever you have around
that would be safe to chew on.
My daughter, because we started from the time she first started to bite, she
does it less often. It took us several months for my son to unlearn the
behavior and relearn better behavior.
Shannon
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Christy Putnam
Sent: Monday, March 06, 2006 12:40 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Biting baby
Okay I am pretty sure it will just take time and patience but I have to ask
because it is really getting to be an issue. Our 14 mo. old, Aden, bites.
Not out of frustration or lack of words that I can tell. It is not because
of teething either. He does do it sometimes out of excitement but usually
it is just him coming up (or leaning towards us when we are holding him),
biting then laughing. This is not a new thing, he has done it most of his
life...since he figured out biting. The biting is getting more frequent and
harder. Of course at first it was kinda cute because he had no teeth but
now he is leaving bruises and teeth marks. He also even bites himself on
his arms/back of hands and laughs (leaving teeth marks then too). So he
thinks it is funny to bite and be bit.
We have always shown a sad face and told him that it hurts when he bites.
We say, "Ouch that hurts when you bite, its better to kiss" then give him a
big kiss or something similar to that. Of course, now that it hurts pretty
bad, the automatic reaction is to be startled and gasp before proceeding but
it never matters either way he still laughs (so he is not laughing because
of the startle reaction). Is there something more we can be doing to
re-direct this behavior? Is there something I am missing that could be
wrong/something he is wanting?
Thanks for your input!
In Gratitude,
Christy Putnam
Unschooling Mom to Aden (1) and Seth (11)
Loving wife of Chet (ann. 7/4/04)
<http://blog.myspace.com/personal_balance>
http://blog.myspace.com/personal_balance
"Go confidently in the direction of your
dreams. Live the life you have always
imagined." - Henry David Thoreau
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Yahoo! Groups Links
thing. We thought it was cute and made it a game when he was young and so he
would smile and laugh when he did it and by the time he had teeth and it
wasn't so cute anymore. We learned then that it takes longer to unlearn
something then it took to learn something so yes it is time and patience.
My daughter is also a biter and every once in a while she tries to kiss me
by biting my mouth. I don't always think it is intentional as it was with my
son more of hey look what I learned to do.
Just like most things we do with this age instead of no try the do this
instead when she tries to bite we give her something she can bite. "It hurts
me when you bite mommy. You can bite a carrot... (My son hated carrots, my
daughter loves them.) Or you can use a chew toy or whatever you have around
that would be safe to chew on.
My daughter, because we started from the time she first started to bite, she
does it less often. It took us several months for my son to unlearn the
behavior and relearn better behavior.
Shannon
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Christy Putnam
Sent: Monday, March 06, 2006 12:40 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Biting baby
Okay I am pretty sure it will just take time and patience but I have to ask
because it is really getting to be an issue. Our 14 mo. old, Aden, bites.
Not out of frustration or lack of words that I can tell. It is not because
of teething either. He does do it sometimes out of excitement but usually
it is just him coming up (or leaning towards us when we are holding him),
biting then laughing. This is not a new thing, he has done it most of his
life...since he figured out biting. The biting is getting more frequent and
harder. Of course at first it was kinda cute because he had no teeth but
now he is leaving bruises and teeth marks. He also even bites himself on
his arms/back of hands and laughs (leaving teeth marks then too). So he
thinks it is funny to bite and be bit.
We have always shown a sad face and told him that it hurts when he bites.
We say, "Ouch that hurts when you bite, its better to kiss" then give him a
big kiss or something similar to that. Of course, now that it hurts pretty
bad, the automatic reaction is to be startled and gasp before proceeding but
it never matters either way he still laughs (so he is not laughing because
of the startle reaction). Is there something more we can be doing to
re-direct this behavior? Is there something I am missing that could be
wrong/something he is wanting?
Thanks for your input!
In Gratitude,
Christy Putnam
Unschooling Mom to Aden (1) and Seth (11)
Loving wife of Chet (ann. 7/4/04)
<http://blog.myspace.com/personal_balance>
http://blog.myspace.com/personal_balance
"Go confidently in the direction of your
dreams. Live the life you have always
imagined." - Henry David Thoreau
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Yahoo! Groups Links