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When Tots Bite
Curbing Toddler Biting
By Judy Molland
She talked to her son a lot, telling him every day when she dropped him off that she wanted him to be a good boy, that biting hurts people, that mommy and daddy didn't like it, and that he was not allowed to bite. "And eventually he got there, and he stopped. I don't know if all the talking helped, but we really focused on it, as a daily thing," says Porter.
According to Murkoff, Porter was doing exactly the right thing with her child. "While biting may be a normal phase for kids to go through, parents need to let them know that it is unacceptable behavior," Murkoff explains, adding that parents should take time to explain that no, we don't bite, we use words to express our feelings. "If your child couldn't figure out what words to use, you might suggest some for the future."
Experts agree that parents should try not to give biting so much attention that it becomes an attention-getter. This is true of all behavior that you don't want to see repeated. For example, it is not a good idea to laugh, because the child sees that she is getting a response, and she will do it again. A negative or a positive reaction is still a reaction. "You want to say firmly, matter-of-factly, 'No biting,' or 'We don't bite,' and then move on to something else," explains Murkoff. "And if you think the child might be hungry, suggest biting on some apple slices!"