Help with 3 Year Old Biting

C.,
My son was a biter for a short period of time around 2 1/2, after another child had bitten him on the face. I made my son apologize to the child, the teacher, and the child's parent for each person he bit as well as get a lengthy talking-to about the inappropriateness of biting. This became tedious for him to go through all those steps so he stopped.

We also had a child (well before the age of 3) in my son's preschool who was a chronic biter. His parents gave him something like a teething blanket (soft square thing with rubber corners) and said "If you feel like to have to bite something or someone, bite on this". He was able to resolve his internal conflict by going to the blanket and biting it.

Since your son's doing this while you're not there and then you hear about it, have whomever is watching him at that time instantly act. 3 is plenty old enough to learn that biting is not acceptable behavior. Make a big fuss over comforting the victim while he's watching to see that his behavior caused pain and you're helping the victim feel better. Then take your son away and firmly tell him that biting is not the way to solve problems. Ask him if he can think of other ways to manage his feelings - get him involved in coming up with a solution.

How about just telling him to use his words not his teeth. *shrug* it takes a lot of vigilence and GOYB Parenting you'll have to be within arms reach of him and really pay attention when he starts getting frustrated, remind him to use his words to get what he wants and help him learn to deal with dissappointment.

Some of you are going to hate me for saying this. But my husband bit my son back when he was very young and it solved the problem immediately! I'm not saying it is the right thing to do but it sure worked.

How are his verbal skills? Biting is often related to a frustration that the child can not verbally convey his or her needs/wants. I would work with him on what to say to a child that takes something he wants or is playing with or if another child touches him. He may be biting because he doesn't know what else to do.

Also, it sounds like he has a lot going on in his life withe moving and the baby coming. I'm 8 months pregnant right now and while my 3 1/2 year old is biting, I do notice some new attention getting actions. It may just pass (which I know doesn't help the situation now).

Absolutely do not bite your child, no matter what someone else says. It sounds like your son has a lot going on, as do you.Maybe try sign language to give him some other outlet. Don't punish hours later for a action,it's meaningless. Let who ever is watching him know how you want the situation handled. Biting can be normal as long as it doens't last forever.Maybe involve him in getting ready for the new baby, he might be concerned about how that is going to affect his life. There have been many good past entrys about getting the big brother ready for the new baby, check some of them out. Hope that helps.
L.