Ugh I think the 18month old hitting streak is a parenting rite of passage or something. Some of them hit, some of them bite and eventually they learn it's not going to get them what they want or any sort of positive attention and they quit.
Vic was quite violent during that stage, kicking and hitting, especially smacking me in the face. Thankfully it passed.
He's been fairly responsive to our putting him in the hallway with the door closed between us for, say, 10-20 seconds when he does it. We remind him "no hitting, owie!" before we close the door and when we open it...it's helped some, I think, but sometimes I wonder if he just can't help himself!
I know timeouts aren't supposed to help at this stage and I guess I don't really think of it as a timeout, since it's SUCH a short period of time and, really, just designed to get him in a place where he can't touch me! If I hold him he kicks/hits harder. If I just put him down without separating us, he comes after me hitting.
Fingers crossed it passes quickly!! I remember you mentioning it when Vic was going through this stage and I didn't envy you then and don't envy myself now ;)
Yup, definitely a rite of passage. Isabel has been smacking us, me especially, for the last month or so. She also thinks it's funny to slap my belly (not funny to me AT ALL). Hair pulling has also been an issue.
Occasionally she pulls or hits hard enough to actually hurt me, and a couple of times I've yelled quite loudly, which made her start sobbing, "I sorry Mama...," which made me feel guilty for yelling.
It would be nice if she'd get past this before the baby comes, but I'm not holding my breath. :)
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Vic was quite violent during that stage, kicking and hitting, especially smacking me in the face. Thankfully it passed.
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I know timeouts aren't supposed to help at this stage and I guess I don't really think of it as a timeout, since it's SUCH a short period of time and, really, just designed to get him in a place where he can't touch me! If I hold him he kicks/hits harder. If I just put him down without separating us, he comes after me hitting.
Fingers crossed it passes quickly!! I remember you mentioning it when Vic was going through this stage and I didn't envy you then and don't envy myself now ;)
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Occasionally she pulls or hits hard enough to actually hurt me, and a couple of times I've yelled quite loudly, which made her start sobbing, "I sorry Mama...," which made me feel guilty for yelling.
It would be nice if she'd get past this before the baby comes, but I'm not holding my breath. :)
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