| Hi Ms. Nina,
First of all, I
don't think you are doing anything wrong. In fact, I know that you have
been a great mom!
Biting is a part of
growing up (and developing teeth), and you can take care of this little
problem. I personally do not think she will be the playground
"biter", that you fear. If you start now, you can prevent it
from going any further. By the way, about 50% of toddlers in daycare are
bitten 2-3 times a year, so biting is more common than you would think.
Infants first start
to bite people when they start to teethe. When teeth first start to push
through the gum, the little gums get sore, and kids want to bite
something. They'll bite their fists, their arms, your arms, and anything
they can get their new teeth on.
Make sure she has
plenty to bite on, e.g. teething ring, teething cracker, or a soft toy
to chomp on. Let her take out some of her aggression on those things.
Now, when she does
bite you, Dad, or anyone else she can get her mouth on, try doing the
following things:
-
Pull
her aside immediately, make her look in your eyes, and say (in an unfriendly
voice) "No biting", or "Don't bite".
Children
really want to make their parents proud of them. That never stops. If
she thinks you are amused by any of her behaviors, she'll continue to do
them, because she sees you smile or laugh. When she does something that
you makes you unhappy, she will try not to do it again.
You
are the mommy, and your baby is supposed to do what you say, and not the
other way around. I know it's difficult to not smile or laugh at some of
the "naughty" things that babies do. But, if you disapprove of
something she does, make sure that your baby knows you are not happy
with her behavior, and disapprove of it. I
think they call that "tough love".
I
hope that helps you. Let me know how things go. Dr. Mike
This
article was reviewed 08/11/2009 03:08 PM
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