Angry Baby :/

[Juice]

My 19 month old daughter has a bad temper. In the last month or so she's started to get quite upset when she can't get her own way. This is a normal reaction and a normal phase that kids go through. However, when she gets angry she bites. She will try to bite me and if I move her so that she can't get to the place she's trying to bite, she will try to bite somewhere else. She's try two or three times before finally biting herself, and as soon as she's done it, it seems that her tension just disappears.

When she loses her shit like this, I just talk to her calmly and try and hold her enough that she won't hurt herself, but not too much to piss her off further. I sometimes start singing to her, and that calms her down quite quickly usually.

But what I'm doing is just helping the immediate tantrum, it isn't helping the overall problem. I don't even know if there is a problem? Will she grow out of this? Will it get worse? Should I nip it in the bud? How should I do that? She can't talk so I can't have a conversation with her to try and resolve things. Will this frustration go away when she can say more? Or will it get worse?

 

[Mrs M]

I would say it's probably frustration while she learns she can't have her own way all the time. I would also try to ignore her, singing to her is giving her attention for bad behaviour.

 

[littlemonkey]

It's more than likely a phase. My son went through a stage of biting around a similar age. I think with him it was a combination of being frustrated cos he has late walking and again not being able to understand things. Once he started walking properly and also started talking at the same time, it stopped.

When he did it, I just said no don't bite and picked him up and put him down some where else. I'd give it a few seconds, then distract him with some thing else. I'm inclined to say your LO is probably biting herself for the reaction or attention. So the less attention you can give her tantrums the better.

 

[H16]

My daughter doesn't bite but does have the odd tantrum and when she does I am afraid I put her upstairs in her cot for a timeout for 5 mins. Usually stops the tantrum pretty fast x

 

[Juice]

It's usually after she bites and she's crying and thrashing around that I sing or talk gently to her. She always looks so upset and disappointed with herself because she knows it's wrong but it's as if she can't help herself.

When I was a kid I used to bite out of frustration too, and I just got shouted at which made me worse. So I'm trying to be understanding with her because I want her to feel supported and not abandoned. I just don't want her to confuse her and make her think that it's wrong. But I've told her no enough times that she knows and she always gives me the guilty look as soon as she's done it.

 

[JD.Deedee]

My son was a little younger when he was doing this and he's stopped doing that now ages ago.. I remember I didn't sing though.. Firm no's and don't do that.. He's now onto his start of his terrible two where he will actually stamp his little feet on the floor and has a little fit when things don't go his ways.. Usually a don't be so ridiculous or a quick cuddle when he's really upset himself does the trick.. And sometimes just leave them too it..

 

[H16]

My son was a little younger when he was doing this and he's stopped doing that now ages ago.. I remember I didn't sing though.. Firm no's and don't do that.. He's now onto his start of his terrible two where he will actually stamp his little feet on the floor and has a little fit when things don't go his ways.. Usually a don't be so ridiculous or a quick cuddle when he's really upset himself does the trick.. And sometimes just leave them too it..

My daughter does the stamp your feet hissy fit sometimes too, oh the joys! lol x

 

[Kay Kay]

Sounds totally normal to me. Sounds like you're doing a good job. She'll come out of it eventually. My lo has started pushing kids now (he's 22mths), which he never did before. He was always the one getting pushed. When I tell him no that's not nice he just says it's funny! so even though he communicates well he still doesn't understand that it's wrong to push people, it's a game to him. I know that it'll click and he'll 'get it' at some point. Sorry not much help but can sympathise x