So, the Moderator is posting a question. Who would have thought huh?

So anyway, my wife and I have a 14 month old daughter. (She?s the best.) Recently she has started pulling my beard and my wife?s hair. We tell her ?No!? and she just starts giggling and does it again. Then she pulls again, and we say no again and she just laughs harder. It?s all a fun game for her. I?ve tried smacking the hand that she uses when she does it at the same time as saying no, but she just laughs at that too.

Is there a way to communicate to her that she can?t do this? (It?s quite painful.) I?m not into spanking and anyway, I don?t know if she would get the cause and effect relationship of a spanking at her age.

Any ideas?

J.T.
The Moderator

Hi There,

That's a tough one.....especially since she is so young.
My son who is now 27 months has in the past pulled my hair, and the odd time has hit my husband and myself and even rarer has bit me when he was in a "wild" mood.
I would always react in a way to show him that it hurt by saying "Ouch, that really hurt mommy". He would just look sort of surprised. I would also ask him to say "sorry" and kiss my "boo boo" better.

Another thought/idea would be the next time she does it and you tell her no, tell her that you won't be able to play with her from now on unless she "plays nicely" and go on to explain as best you can what that means.
If she's getting a little out of control just walk away until she calms down and then go over and give her a big hug. Eventually, she will get the idea.....hopefully

Good luck and happy holidays.

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I'm in the same boat right now. My daughter is 15 months and will pinch, pull hair or grab you by the lips and pull-OUCH! No matter what I tell her NO to, she just laughs and keeps doing it. It's just a big game to her. Many things I just ignore the behavior because I figure any reaction just eggs her on. But some things that are painful or harmful to her (she will put her whole fist in her mouth and gag herself-once she even made herself throw up), I either get her distracted onto something else right away or walk around the house holding her and counting. For some reason this calms her down. I've come to the conclusion that she is just not getting the connection between "No" and "I shouldn't do that". I think all we can do is keep trying and be consistent. Eventually they will make the connection and it will start to sink in.
Terri

My son was doing the same thing and laughing when corrected!! He did understand the idea of "boo boos" so I told him that he made a boo boo on mommy when he hit me or pulled my hair. That worked for a while. Then we started time out when he was almost 2. I never thought that would work at his age, but it has. And he doesn't do it anymore (or not very often at least)! Just some ideas!

Hugs,

Beth

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Beth S.

Beth,
I want to know how you get an almost 2 year old to sit still for time out. Mine would NEVER sit for that unless I sat ON her!
Terri

LOL Terri!! I was amazed myself!! But he just sits there and screams...and of course, hits his face (softly, but enough to try to get my attention and get out of time out!) on the back of the bench!

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Beth S.