Toddler hitting

So my 22 m.o. has been hitting more and more recently. It started as just not being able to control himself to now what seems like a deliberate choice. I’ve been trying to teach him to use nice hands, and I know he knows how to do it, but now he’ll just hit while saying “nice”. What has helped your toddlers learn not to hit? I know he’s still little, but what I’ve been doing hasn’t been helping and he’s just been hitting more. Help 😣
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Teaching alternatives to hitting, e.g. Scribble drawing, or hitting a pillow, and getting him to say he's angry can help. He needs to be able to name his feelings. Also, you can set boundaries by saying "I won't let you hit" and gently holding his hands - this way he knows you're in control which he needs to feel safe.

I tried the gentle hands and calmly holding my baby’s hands when she hit me, but that infuriated her even more. I also feel like she used to do it out of frustration but now seems to think it is funny

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