Parenting Tips for Your 23-24 Month Old Toddler
Sometimes, when young children play together, they push, hit, slap, or bite. Biting and forceful hitting must be stopped right away. Most children bite and hit when they are feeling angry or frustrated. When your little one bites you or another child:
- Say firmly, “No. Biting hurts.”
- Move her to a safe place; look her in the eyes and say, “Stay here until you feel calmer. I cannot let you bite.” After a minute or two (never more than two minutes), ask her if she is ready to play again without biting or hitting. If she says yes, let her return to her play.
- Never bite or hit your toddler back. This does not stop the biting. In fact, it may make her believe that biting is all right. Most children who bite only do it for a short time.
Hitting may continue for a longer time than biting. Help your toddler learn better ways to handle her anger.
- Teach her to use words like “Stop that,” “Go away,” “I don’t like that” instead of hitting and biting.
- When your little one uses words instead of hurting someone, praise her with words and hugs and say, “You did a good job of using words instead of hurting.”
As your toddler learns to say her feelings in words, the hitting and biting will decrease.
Learn more about Your Toddler: 23-24 Months from Just In Time Parenting. You can also go to our Resource Links for additional information on child care and development.
