Ask Amy: My Toddler Thinks It's Funny to Hit Me
b'Have a toddler who thinks it\'s funny to hit Mom or Dad? A listener wrote in to ask:\\nAny suggestions for dealing with hitting? My almost two-year-old hits us (mom, dad, older sister) when frustrated. It seems to start out of frustration and then continue out of curiosity. He seems to get that we do not like it when he hits, but he keeps doing it. We say \\u201cno\\u201d firmly and attempt to remove him from the situation, or remove ourselves. But getting smacked in the face is getting old fast.\\nChildren this little have not yet developed "theory of mind"\\u2013 the capacity to understand other people\'s mental states, and that those mental states can differ from one\'s own. Since smacking Mommy\'s face arouses curiosity in your child, it can be hard for him to grasp, at his developmental level, that you might feel differently.\\nRather than giving the hitting too much attention\\u2013 which includes the negative attention of a loud "No!"\\u2013 Amy suggests Dr. Harvey Karp\'s "gossiping" technique, which will enable your toddler to learn why hitting is not okay without being distracted by your anger or his shame.\\nIt\'s a stage, but it\'s an unpleasant one! We hope that "gossiping" will really help. Here\'s an article to tell you more about the technique:\\nDr. Harvey Karp: How to Encourage Good Toddler Behavior With \\u201cGossiping\\u201d\\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices'