My youngest son will be three in October. He has a bitting problem! It started when he started at daycare and he was bitten by another child. Then it was downhill from there he began bitting. This started a little over a year ago and at first we just keep saying its a phase he will grow out of this. We would still discipline him (put him in time out) let him know that he hurt the child, etc. I even talked to my peditrician who stated to make a REAL big deadl about hte one who got bit being hurt and not so much attention on my son who was doing the bitting, to get him to feel bad and see how bad it really does hurt. We thought he was getting better, however, now it has become a REAL problem. He started preschool this week and he has already gotten notes home from the school (twice) that he is bitting other children. The other day him and his brother were playing out in the sandbox and he wanted a sand toy from his brother they got into a disagreement about it and then my younger son bit my older son so hard almostmaking him bleed, I believe that if my older son had not have screamed so loud that both his dad and I came running, my younger son could have actually bitten that piece right off. HIs dad made him bite onto a bar of soap and face the wall for almost five minutes, I thought it was a little harsh, however, I have run out of options myself. That obviously did not work because two days later at school he bit another student. The school cant do anymore than put him in time out. This has become a REAL problem, any suggestions??
Does you son communicate effectively verbally for his age? Biting is often associated with children who have a hard time expressing what they need/want verbally. If this could be the case maybe some therapy would help. If not, I would try taking away something he really likes each time he bites. If he continues biting at the pre-school they will likely ask you to remove him.
S.~I have the same problem with my two year old. All of a sudden he has turned into a biter too. I have gone as far as biting him back to show him how it feels but that didn't do any thing. I have but soap in his mouth-didn't work. I have been suggested now to try vinager. I can't do the tabasco sauce because my boy like spicey food. It might be something you want to try. Eventually both of our boys will hopefully grow out of this. But I have always wondered if kids bite because they don't know how to say how they are feeling so they get frustrated and bite. I just wanted you to know there is someone out there with the same problem!
My daughter was biting my husband and I at times and we have bitten her back. I hated doing it and ended up stopping as it's hard to tell if you are biting hard enough or too hard.
She now bites herself when she gets angry. She's doing it more infrequently, but it took a lot of time.
I would suggest taking away something he really likes. My daughter is a little over 2 1/2 and that seems to get her attention.
Your son is not taking any of the disciplines given to him seriously at all compared to his seriousness of being able to get what he wants by biting and hurting others. To answer your question on what to do for your next step of effective discipline, think of it this way...........what would your parents do if you had done the same thing as a pre schooler to get your way? Would it have been effective?
