Toddler hitting herself - ignore or make her stop
Our second child was recently born, and our eldest is 21 months. She is being so gentle and good with the baby but her frustrations are coming out in other areas, for example she's started hitting herself in the face and head. We ask her to stop and try to hold her hands so she can't do it anymore, but I don't know if by giving her a reaction, she knows to do it more to get more attention. Is it better to just ignore the behaviour (as long as she's safe) to show her she doesn't get attention by doing that?
(We are also trying to teach her alternative ways to handle her anger when the moments allow.)
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For further context, when we try to ask her to stop currently she hits herself more 😵💫
My son is a lot older but when he gets frustrated we just offer reassurance/ affection! Maybe it’s an attention thing or struggling to regulate it’s hard to know but keeping a calm environment - maybe move her away from the room and sit with her! Or talking mats might help to communicate feelings of frustration… sorry I can’t help more x
We had this a few months back! She would whack her head off the floor and was covered in bruises 😭 we ignored it and I would cuddle her afterwards and it’s stopped now
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Following because I have the same.issue