Thursday, March 29, 2007

This Bites.

Yes, this.

And this is how he looks right before and right after he does it. I, however, do not look quite as happy because it hurts! I'm nearing the end of my rope on this one. We've tried "no", "stop", redirecting to more appropriate play and offering something that is okay to bite (i.e. something other than one of our body parts - shoulders, knees and fingers are his favorite targets with the occasional arm or thigh thrown in to keep it interesting). Today I tried ignoring it and thought he was doing much better, but then he just about drew blood while I was reading him a book before bed.

I don't know what to do. It's as if he thinks he has to bite. I mean, it's not as though he only bites his parents. He also bites the couch (cushions and arms, he's not picky), the dining room chairs, the tv cabinet and any other inanimate object he pulls up on. I can tell where he's cruised because his path is delineated by little wet mouth marks. I'm not so concerned about the furniture, or really even me and Jeff, but I don't want my biting nine month old to become a biting two-year old. And before you think I'm jumping the gun on this, I should tell you it's been going on for at least a couple of months and we've already had one incident of him biting a friend's finger (sorry, Isaac!).

So, wise readers, any suggestions? It's getting a little painful around here.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

We have a biter at our house right now as well. This morning he bit my thigh and I yelped so loudly that I scared Andrew. Thomas laughed. Hmmm...

At Stepping Stones they recommend taking the perpetrator and removing him physically from you while saying firmly (probably not so loudly that you scare your e-year-old) "No biting. That hurts mommy." Then you're supposed to walk away. That's difficult to do calmly when your darling angel has drawn a blood blister and is laughing about it, but that's what they recommend.

-Susan

Anonymous said...

p.s. Grandma Elaine has defended our biting bully on occasion by saying that she believes it's a form of affection. Not saying she's right or wrong, just saying.

Ade said...

Sorry...my kid was the bitee (sp?) instead of the biter...I think you just have to keep doing what you are doing...at some point it will sink in! Hang in there!

Leslie said...

No advice from me...just wanted to say CUTE PICTURE!!!

Sarah said...

Since I apparently have decided to make a career out of childcare (HOW? WHY?) I was reading about it and they say that biting is what kids tend to do when they're verbally frustrated. Expect a large vocabulary boom soon.