2 Yr. Old Rips/eats Books

Updated on January 28, 2008
K.O. asks from Roseville, MI
6 answers

My 2 yr. old has this new thin with ripping all of his books and either eating the paper or just throwing it. None of the books are the thin paper books but the thinker cardboard books. He will start with just chewing on them to get them soft and then start peeling the paper back and it just goes from there. It's driving me and my husband bonkers!! We are ready to take away all his books but he asks us to read to him many many times a day. Any advice?

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C.J.

answers from Detroit on

My daughter did this too. She would hide behind doors sometimes. I talked to my doctor about it and he assured me that there isn't anything to worry about. It is a stage that alot of children go through. I didn't take the books away because she even did it to my books. Are you going to have to hide all paper, no. I just kept telling her that we don't chew on books. She stopped doing it after about 6 months. Maybe they stopped tasting so good when she got older! =)

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K.V.

answers from Detroit on

Mine did this too. It started with board books when she was 1yr old but she never did it to regular books. Try taking them away for a while, except when you are reading them to him, and then maybe try some regular books. I know it may seem the opposite of what to do, but it worked for us. Start with some books from the second hand store so that you aren't spending a lot on them.

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E.A.

answers from Detroit on

My daughter did a similar thing. I just took the books away unless I was reading them to her. She eventually out grew this 'phase'. And now she is 3 and 'reading' her books to me.

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C.K.

answers from Detroit on

WEll the easy answer is that he isn't ready for books. I would gently tell him that books are for ripping/eating, and put them away. Then, give him some paper (old magazines?) that he CAN rip up. Try introducing the books again in a few weeks and see what happens. He will eventually understand that books aren't for ripping/eating.

namaste!

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L.O.

answers from Detroit on

take the books away for a while.. and only get them out when you can read to him

my 2 year old has flap books that she loves to open the flaps.. then one day she was ripping all the flaps off.. so the books went away for a while.

then they came back and she didnt do it anymore.

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H.S.

answers from Detroit on

Read to him, but don't let him have access to the books until he is a bit older. My son used to do that too, but it stopped after about six months or so. Good luck

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