| Most children attend daycare daily. The main benefit | | | | is a very common problem among children, especially |
| for a child's development at daycare is the | | | | when they go to daycare, because just as children |
| socialization. When children socialize early, they also | | | | pick up on each other’s good habits, they also pick |
| develop at a faster rate. Children are known for | | | | up on the bad ones. When you have a child biting other |
| copying each other, so children who attend daycare | | | | children this is not only a problem for you, but for |
| daily learn to verbalize quicker, do things such as | | | | everyone involved, because usually, if your child is |
| eating, dressing, etc., by themselves, become easier to | | | | biting, they are biting other children. If parents do not |
| potty-train, as well as a million other benefits. | | | | prevent their child biting other children, they may even |
| Most children start attending daycare at around two | | | | be asked to leave daycare. |
| years old, which is when the familiar terrible twos kick | | | | But how do you prevent a problem like child biting? |
| in. We are all familiar which the behavior a child exhibits | | | | There are many ways to discourage your child biting |
| during the terrible twos. Screaming, crying, biting, | | | | problems. |
| tantrums… the terrible twos can really take their toll | | | | 5 Ways to Stop Child Biting Behavior: |
| on parents. While many parents dismiss the terrible | | | | 1 Removing your child after they have |
| twos as just a stage, there are ways to remedy this | | | | bitten someone, and say: "Sweetheart, we don't bite |
| behavior. Such as those listed in the Happy Child | | | | each other." |
| Guide | | | | 2 Avoid punishing your child, or giving them |
| In fact, according to Happy Child Parenting, the terrible | | | | time-outs. Instead, |
| twos are just a myth. The behavior children exhibit at | | | | 3 Give lots of positive attention to the bitten |
| this time is actually tied to diet, environment and | | | | child - and also giving equal support to the child who bit. |
| sleeping patterns. By improving your child’s diet, and | | | | Although this may be counter-intuitive to a society |
| reducing their sugar intake, you can actually get them | | | | brought up on punishments and rewards, it's important |
| to stop showcasing that mood-swinging, tantrum like | | | | to realize that the biting child usually did so because |
| behavior. It is understandable that most parents work, | | | | they didn't know any other way to express |
| and come home exhausted. But by simply putting a | | | | themselves. |
| few extra minutes a day into cooking fresh healthy | | | | 4 Avoid biting your child back to show |
| food for you children, you can make everyone in the | | | | them how much it hurts because that plan can |
| house breathe a little easier as you watch the terrible | | | | backfire. Children pick things up easily, and you |
| twos vanish from history. You can learn more ways | | | | don’t want them telling their teachers they bite |
| to deal with the symptoms of the terrible twos | | | | because their parents do! Also children learn through |
| at Parent Learning Club. | | | | example. At such a young age, they can't |
| Almost everything you buy in the supermarket is | | | | understand that you're trying to show them what it |
| packed with sugar, but here is a handy list of things to | | | | feels like. |
| avoid: | | | | 5 Stop the biting before it happens - the best |
| - Fruit Juices (even the ones that say they are made | | | | way to do this is to be aware of situations where it |
| from “real fruit”) | | | | might arise and be within arms reach a child who |
| - Chips | | | | seems like they may bite, or who has bitten before. |
| - Fast food | | | | And just when they go to bite, put your hand |
| - White Bread | | | | between their mouth and the target and say: |
| - White pasta | | | | "Sweetheart, we don't bite each other" - then you may |
| - Cereal | | | | remove your child from the situation. |
| - Cakes | | | | The reason why Parent Learning Club recommends |
| - Doughnuts | | | | to say "Sweetheart..." rather than "No! Don't do that" - |
| - Soda | | | | is because they say that most toddlers are not |
| - Crackers | | | | conscious they are biting, because they're ruled by |
| - Ketchup | | | | their emotional upset at the time. And scolding them |
| - Muffin mixes | | | | causes them to just get more confused and uncertain. |
| - Jam | | | | And most of all, parents need to be a source of |
| - Fried food | | | | unconditional safety, support and love for young |
| For an extended list, please visit ParentLearningClub. | | | | children. |
| With patience, and a change in diet, you can make the | | | | For more ways to deal with child biting, visit |
| terrible twos indeed a myth. | | | | parentlearningclub, where you can speak to other |
| Another problem many parents face when their | | | | parents dealing with child biting problems and see how |
| children get about daycare age is child biting. Child biting | | | | they deal with their child biting problems. |