Baby slapping

For the past week now, my baby has started slapping me. Is this normal? How do I get it to stop? When she does it I say no hitting or stop with a ‘stern’ face although in response she sometimes looks at me to assess me and smiles and sometimes repeats it. I don’t want her doing this in nursery

Show your support

Following

Very, very normal. You’re much better off giving absolutely zero affect in both your tone and face, so don’t alter the variation in your voice and try to maintain a plain face. Repeat a few time and if she continues either move your LO away from you I.e put her down, or move away from her and ignore, she may actually whine or cry. It’s important to quickly repair and move on to another activity/carry on with what you were doing, else even the “fall out” can become a response. Praise and reacts overtly to positive interaction and they soon understand that’s what gets social interaction and praise. Mostly at this age, is an innocent action or communication, but can be reinforced if they notice an “unusual” social response to what they have seen before, or a heightened social interaction.

I say no hitting and demonstrate gentle hands by stroking her face or taking her hand and showing her how to gently touch mine and I repeat ‘gently’ or ‘nicely’. She sometimes copy’s or sometimes she carry’s on slapping to which I just move away or say no hitting. I think it’s very normal at this age and very innocent so I don’t take it as if she is trying to hurt me although I completely understand you in regards to nursery.

Yep and she finds it hilarious

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌