My son is 15 months old and has started biting other kids at daycare. At home, I have tried spanking, biting back (not hard enough to do damage but enough for him to get “hey this hurts”), telling him “NO,” but nothing works. It’s becoming a problem, and I’m not sure what to do. Can anyone help??
11 Likes
I’ve learned that showing them something is possible only shows them it’s possible. That includes hitting, slapping etc. My mom thought it would be cute to bite my son, after that I was doomed. He wasn’t biting for long but still it was dangerous. All I could do was lecture him about it that it hurts and leaves marks and how much it would hurt me if another little baby had bitten him and how he would have to be kept away from other children. Eventually he stopped I think because he loves being around other kids and he didn’t want to lose that, kids need to be taught the chain reaction to their consequences, I think. He was the same age as yours at the time.
1 Like
My son went through that phase. He grew out if it quickly. The more I acknowledged it the more he did it.
2 Likes
My sister did that as a child, too. My mom tried everything. She eventually bit my mom so hard she left a big bruise for a few weeks. My mom immediately snatched her up and bit the shit out of her. Needless to say my sister never bit anyone again. (My mom was not abusive, she tried several alternatives for months! Sometimes you just gotta get to the end point.)
Flick aka thump (middle finger and thumb used against eachother creates this motion) him in the mouth. Hot sauce…
11 Likes
Teeth Are Not for Biting (Board Book) (Best Behavior Series) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/1575421283/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_HCpLFbR2Y237D
This worked for us
2 Likes
Teething! I still gave my son frozen teething toys as much as possible until he was around that age. I don’t like giving medicine unless necessary, but maybe try tylonol before he goes to daycare to ease the pain and tenderness.
1 Like
So im an old mama and i did the bite thing but obviously you have tried it and its not working. So everyone has a currency so just find out what his currency. What i mean ny currency is something they dont want to give up .
1 Like
Okay first of all biting the child back majes it a game. It’s showing a child that Mommy can do it but the baby can’t. spanking a child that young they really don’t understand why they’re being spanked if you know what I mean. That’s why they have time out. That’s why you take their favorite toy something like that… you have to remember kids are going to go through all kinds of phases and stages through their life hitting and biting is a baby thing you have to teach them that it is wrong for them to understand it if you’re biting them or hitting them back all you’re doing is showing them it’s okay it’s a game. The more you in college it the more the child will do it.
5 Likes
Time out , favourite toy taken away
Stop playing and do time out by explaining why to them
They understand a lot more then you realise
1 Like
My daughter went through this phase. She is almost 2 now. She’d bite when she got frustrated with someone or something. What really got her attention was showing her emotion when she did it. If she bit me, I would “cry” and say it hurt mommy and she would kiss it. Smacking her or biting her doesn’t teach her to not do it. To her young mind, if I can smack and bite… so can she.
If nothing is working, I would try to ignore. By saying this, I mean removing him from whatever situation that caused the behavior so he’s not harming anyone, but do not address the behavior. Sometimes children do things just because they want a reaction out of it. If you do not react, it will soon get old to them.
3 Likes
I don’t understand what kind of kids yall are raising when you say that you spanking them or whatever teaches them that it’s ok to hit…
7 Likes
Please don’t hurt the child for hurting children. 
7 Likes
Yall needed to learn the second they did it reprimand and say its not ok. Their minds are sponges. They see the learn they do. You tell them no etc they learn. Simolple. They do as they see look at your relationships. Period.
Not reacting was what worked for my boy, he only did it a couple times, not reacting and calmly saying ouch that hurt mummy, and if he did it again I said the same, but this time moved away.
As a toddler teacher redirection and reminder that teeth are not for biting work best for us. It is also developmentally appropriate for them to bite at that age it’s a phase that can be fixed if on top of it
5 Likes
Biting is unfortunately common at this age, especially when little guys aren’t able to communicate their needs through words or gestures. A great book is Teeth Are Not For Biting, by Elizabeth Verdick and Marieka Heinlen, can be bought on Amazon for less than $10. If your kiddo is not using many words to communicate, consider an early intervention evaluation, which can help with language and behavior concerns. There are a lot of reasons little guys bite, and a lot of ways to help them.
1 Like
In daycares, that’s usually learned behavior, many times having been bitten themselves. Their situation at home usually isn’t the same, whereas at daycares they have more than one baby wanting the same toy, ball, etc. so biting is their defense mechanism. Unfortunately it’s something they may need to eventually outgrow…or it gets better as they move up in age group and the kids around them start having other interests.
Rather than biting the child back, one thing that sometimes works is putting your hand in front of the biter’s mouth when they are ready to strike. Not sure if it’s the startle effect or what but that hand stops them. May not work for all kids but worth a try. To clarify you are not covering their mouth, not stopping them from getting air, just putting something between the target and them.
1 Like
He needs a teething ring or toy
My kids (3) bit me 1 time and I bit back, never had another issue. They never bit anyone again. I didnt hurt them but made them realize it hurt.
4 Likes
Early childhood special education teacher here. The best thing you can do for a child who is being aggressive is teach him or her words or coping skills that can be used in trigger situations. If he is biting to get a toy, teach him to say “please” or “my turn” when he wants something. If he is biting when other kids are too close, teach him to say “go away” or get up and walk away. If it seems random, he likely doesn’t know how to interact yet, so teaching him to wave to friends or say hi can help. If he is biting when angry, practice words and gestures that name feelings such as happy, sad, mad, disappointed, excited. You will need to practice these skills all the time, because toddlers need tons of repetition to master new skills (it’s the same reason they like to read the same books over and over or they go through phases where they try the same action repeatedly). Regardless, biting is a very common behavior in toddlers and can be worked through with practice and patience.
3 Likes
You are modeling the behavior you want him to stop. He’s probably biting out of frustration he can’t yet communicate. As he develops language skills the biting will subside and the daycare should know that. And they should be supervising and redirect him before he gets frustrated.
16 Likes
Some kids learn this as a way to get their own way and others shouldn’t have to be biten because little Johnny or little sissy wants her own way pattle their bum or bite them back and insist they stop
6 Likes
My oldest started biting when he was little. I bit him back just enough to smart so he could understand it was not nice.
3 Likes
He’s 15 months old… Just redirect and sit him in time out if he continues.
2 Likes
As a teacher its completely normal and so common but a crappy phase to go through! Its usually due to lack of communication and/or frustration and thats the easiest way to get their point across. Another things is they are learning about cause and effect…if i do this then this will happen. My boy used to get biten when he was a teeny baby and now is a biter, and its honestly so much when your child is the biter!
I would avoid any further aggressive punishment. That can be really confusing for a child that young. I’d stick to just continually explaining that we bite food not people. Here’s an apple, bite this!
8 Likes
It’s normal. They can’t understand their emotions at this age. I have 5 kids. 2 biters. It’s age appropriate. Redirect. They will grow out of it
7 Likes
Maybe he’s teething??? He could be having some pain. Maybe try baby IB pro before he goes to daycare and see what happens that day 🤷
4 Likes
It’s a phase, LOTS of toddlers do it and from my experience, they just grow out of it. Not a lot you can do 
1 Like
You’re teaching a baby to stop biting by biting him?
7 Likes
15 months is so little , don’t bite him or spank him, goodness. I haven’t had a bitter yet out of my three but I feel like I would show my toddler that it hurts by demonstrating emotions like saying “ow” fake crying letting him console you so he wants to help not hurt , if that doesn’t work maybe he is teething. My kids didn’t start getting little butt pops until about 5 when they can register why. Just my opinion.
1 Like
It’s a signal of communication to express excitement, anger, or frustration my dd did the same thing around that age. Now she only does it when she’s excited or trying to play@22 mths. Eventually they will grow out of it.
Apparently it usually stops when they have a language leap but in the meantime I’ve had redirection and the use of a teething toy help in the classroom in the past.
3 Likes
My son did this for awhile. I ignored him and he finally stopped. He was also teething at the time though too.
Find out if he is being bit by another kid at daycare. Thats usually how it starts. But honestly all kids go thru that stage but the best way to deal with it, is have him bite himself a couple times and tell him thats not nice. Once he has bitten his self a few times he should quit. It takes alot of patience to get thru the biting stage but he quit as long as you can stick to showing him how it feels when he bites somebody else. Im on kid #4 and so far everything i have told you has worked. My son is almost 3 now and still tries to bite every once in awhile, just gotta be stern about it.
2 Likes
Biting back and spanking ? A fucking 15 month old. 
Ewwwww
1 Like
My daughter went through this. Nothing really that you can do. I agree with the person that said they might be teething. She outgrew it pretty quick!!! THANK GOODNESS!
1 Like
So you tell a child not to bite, then you bite them?? You tell a child not to hit by hitting them? How confusing is this message for a child!
A simple no thats not kind and hurts will work. Its also a developmental stage they go though. Im sure it will stop soon
5 Likes
Give him things he CAN bite. He’s doing it because his mouth hurts, not to hurt others. Something like a teething ring from the fridge. Send it with to daycare and tell him to bite that instead of people
1 Like
We are also going through this with our 17 month old. Our daycare is great about it — they give lots of attention to the child who was bit first, then they’ll tell my son “teeth are not for biting” or “biting hurts” and then tell him to be gentle and use soft hands. They also try to find what triggers it — does he want the same toy as someone? Is he looking for attention? This way they can better understand and try to stop it before it even happens. We also read the “Teeth Are Not For Biting” book and he has a raccoon chew toy from Amazon we clip to his clothes in case he wants to bite something. It’s a work in progress but we are getting somewhere!
My aunt also suggested hot sauce so maybe that’s an old school way of thinking!
Our daycare keeps reassuring us it’s a normal part of development, especially when toddlers can’t communicate well yet. They said most of the kids there do it, and it’s a phase that typically passes. So try not to stress too much!
1 Like
I know everyone has their own parenting styles and every child is different but i used to pinch and my aunt pinched me back once never did I pinch anyone again🤷♀️ She’s asking for advice not criticism damn!
I always “spanked” my kids mouth. Just a gentle tap across the mouth after a bite. Doesn’t hurt them but it gets it through that it’s bad. Worked for mine.
2 Likes
Teach good bite and bad bite… good bite like food apples etc… bad is people
.bitting hurts and pretend to cry … Tell the kid bitting hurts it’s not nice… If that dont work then give them a reflection time… and again explain why this is happening… also try to redirect it might be cuz he can’t talk or when another child is trying to take something away… I say this cuz I’m a infant/ toddler teacher…
Every child is different. I bit mine back and shes never done it again. She literally tested it with everyone. Me once, bit back, never again. Her TiTi, bit back, never again. She made it through 3 people and she has never bit anyone ever again. Doesnt even play bite anyone.
Everyone parents different as well. Look at and research different approaches. Be consistent. It will pass eventually. Youre not gonna fuck your kid up by parenting how you see fit. No matter what another mom tells you. Its your child. What works for mine wont necessarily work for you.
After the bite put your hand on top of head and under chin press lightly!!!. And say no at the same time. Is a method I have heard of.
We got a book that daycare used called teeth are not for biting. We would read it every time he bit someone at school. It helped and he grew out of it
2 Likes
My little guy was biting at daycare and we all realized he had a lot of energy he needed to get out. He was then allowed to go out into a bigger play yard at daycare and the biting subsided.
If you bite them back you are actually teaching them its OK to bite TIME OUT is best I do believe in spanking just not biting back
My daughter but really bad at daycare but it was due to a child previously biting her. We started taking her out of some of the fun stuff during the day at school until she learned and that only took about a week!Good luck
Try grab his face use harsh tone no
Just leave him alone 