Do you often find your one year old biting? If you’re bothered by this habit of your little one, you are with thousands of worried parents out there. Truth be told, biting is one of the most common behavior amongst children between 1-3 years old and many parents are concerned of this behavior, no matter how common it may seem.
Here’s some good news for you: You can certainly eliminate, if not totally remove, your child’s habit of biting. Read on to be enlightened why toddlers are fond of biting and what you can do to stop them from this habit.
Why Do One Year Old Children Bite?
Before we can address the issue of biting, it is important that we understand why your children are doing this.
Most children bite not because they want to inflict pain to others or they want to express how angry they are. Many experts believe that biting your toddler did means of communication rather than just a bad behavior. There are many reasons why toddlers love to bite and most of them are not intentionally malicious. Below are the reasons why your kid bites.
1. They are in pain – Before you get frustrated and angry by your one year old biting you for the time, you should consider first the factor that she may be in pain. Teething days are the worst days for them and biting is one of their ways to relieve the pain from their tender and swollen gums.
2. They are experimenting – The world is an exciting place for your toddler. When they see something new, they want to explore it as much as they can. Aside from using their hands, toddlers love to use their mouth to taste and feel the object. By using their mouth, they are learning about the world that they live in.
3. They are expressing their emotion – Have you experienced a moment where you find something or someone so adorable and you can’t refuse but to bite it/her? Kids can have the same reaction towards someone or something that they have strong feeling about. It’s their own weird little way of showing their love and affection.
4. They want your attention – Some older kids who crave for attention would resort to bad behaviors to get noticed, one form of which is biting.
5. They’re expressing their frustration – Toddlers are not pro in expressing their feelings and emotions yet. Biting is one of the many ways that your kid uses to express negative emotions such as frustration. It could be a way for him to communicate that he is unhappy or wants to be left alone.
6. They’re defending themselves – When a child does not know how to speak out his anger, biting could be one of the methods for him to defend himself. When he wants to be left alone or wants his toy back, your one year old may resort to biting because he does not have the ability to communicate what he wants orally.
How Can You Stop Children from Biting?
Now that you have known the reasons why your child bites, the next step is to put this habit to a stop. Remember to always keep yourself cool and don’t lose your patience whenever your child bites. Below are some of the tips that you can apply whenever you foresee a situation where your child is about to bite.
1. Make intervention before it happens – Make a journal of when and how it usually happens. Take note of the circumstances that trigger the action. Once you have established a pattern of this behavior, always keep your eyes open. Clenching their teeth is an unmistakable sign that your child is about to bite, so take him away from the stimulus before the biting happens. If he’s overwhelmed of being in a big crowd or he’s annoyed with his playmate, take him to a quiet place and calm him down. If your baby is teething, find him some teething toys to chomp on.
2. Make them understand that it’s a wrong behavior – Use simple but firm words in explaining to your child that biting is wrong. Make your child understand that it’s not a good behavior and hurting others is certainly not acceptable.
3. Teach your kid to express himself – When finding your one year old biting as a way to express his frustration or anger, make him calm down and then teach him a less painful way of expressing himself. If they bite because they want to defend themselves, teach them on how to clearly say no. If it’s their way of expressing their love, teach them to use hugs and kisses instead.
4. Encourage empathy – If your child hits or bites to get a toy, show him the alternative on how to get the toy nicely. For example, “When Mommy wants something from you, I ask you nicely. Please do the same with your playmate if you want a toy from him. Wait until your friend is finished with it and you can have your turn” is a good try.
5. Model nonaggression – A child is more likely to develop an aggressive behavior if he often sees it in his environment. As a parent, you should be the first people to emulate nonaggression. Always keep your calm and use kind and nice words whenever you’re communicating in your household.
6. Be generous with your praises – Whenever your child does something good, don’t be shy in giving your compliments and praises. Praise him for all the good behavior that he’s doing. Children are more inclined on positive reinforcement and rewards so they will repeat the behavior more often.
What If Things Don’t Work?
Don’t get frustrated if you’ve done everything that you can, yet your one year old biting habit can’t be addressed. Children learn at different paces, so continue to be persistent and firm until you get the desired behavior.
Stick with your plan and be consistent in your reinforcements. Though it may take many tries before you can make your child to stop biting, just be patient and persistent and you will get there. Avoid raising your voice and using negative words as well. Instead of screaming “Don’t bite!” with your high-pitched voice, calmly and clearly tell your child that “We keep our mouths to ourselves” instead.
Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Join a support group where you can gain insights from other parents who are experiencing the same dilemma. You may also consult a therapist if you have to.