Some advice please

[torontokids]

So my new kid (23 mos) I am finding very challenging. He is a bit of a bully at times. He steals toys, rams people with shopping carts/strollers, grabs their arms and is also an excessive hugger (but only when kids don't seem to want it). His behaviour can be so obnoxious that the other kids are getting fed up with him. I started shadowing him and stopping behaviour before it starts, taking toys away from him if he hurts someone with it, putting him in his high chair if I'm not available to shadow him etc. I saw some improvement and backed off a bit but he has had a rough couple of days now. He blocked another child from getting out of the playhouse so she bit him hard on the arm (she is 18 mos old, has never shown aggression. I think she is just sick of him!) To his credit he didn't retaliate but came to me for help/soothing. I just find it all exhausting! He should really count for 2 kids with the amount of time I have to spend with him, watching his every movement. I am really not enjoying him or his impact on the group.

I spoke to the parents last week and gave concrete examples. They have said they are working on it at home. Do I just keep plugging along?

I can't really terminate because I am pregnant and I have an empty spot I can't fill already because its for only 5 mos because I am going on maternity leave.

[torontokids]

I should add. I started giving the 18 month old her soother at daycare to hopefully delay the reaction to bite him if she has something in her mouth.

[Lee-Bee]

Sometimes the consequence to having obnoxious behaviour is that even the best of kids get fed up and bite you! I wouldn't worry to much stress about him being bitten. Let his parents know exactly why he was bitten. It was a last resort of a fed up child that was being cornered. Obviously you don't want the 18month old to get in the habit of biting all the time but if she has no other means to free herself of a child that is out to bother her then it is better she bites then just sits passively. (is it wrong of me to say this?)

At 23 months when he comes to you after being bitten sooth him but make sure he knows why he was bitten. He should understand it enough and hopefully that is incentive to stop some of the behaviors.

All you can do is put him in isolation (playpen with toys or high chair with toys) when you are busy and shadow him when you can.

[Van]

also remember to reward all the children for good behavior , it's good for us to look out for the good behavior too. Sounds like you are on top of it.