Worst day so far...

[playfelt]

I have noticed more issues with kids whose parents play and tease with them such as giving them raspberries on their tummies or arms. The kids don't understand the intensity issue nor do they have the mouth coordination to do it properly so end up grabbing on with their teeth and then the natural ooooh this feels good takes over and they bite. Does explain some of what goes on when they do it for what they think is fun as in they may truly think they are playing and not intending to hurt.

I have the same issue with parents that play wrestle with the kids. The kids do not understand that we pick them up and "slam" them down gently not for real. Once parents realize siblings especially are getting mixed signals about what is ok and what is not it actually got better.

[sunnydays]

This is interesting...I'll have to see if I see that link with the biters in my care. I've played that way with all three of my kids (raspberries, etc) and none of them has become a biter (although my youngest tried biting a few times...then decided to start biting herself when she got mad). I do agree that sometimes they are doing it not out of anger, but just as an experimentation thing and they have no concept that it hurts. I have one 16 month old who wrestles his friends to the ground with hugs and lies on top of them...he did it a lot when he first started with me at 12 months, but rarely does it now as I have consistently stopped him and told him his friends don't like it...he had no idea there was anything wrong with his behaviour. I'm thinking the parents find it cute and funny and since he wasn't in a group of kids all day, it wasn't a huge issue. Parents with first children especially tend to think everything their little ones do is cute and funny...even if they are being agressive.

I have noticed more issues with kids whose parents play and tease with them such as giving them raspberries on their tummies or arms. The kids don't understand the intensity issue nor do they have the mouth coordination to do it properly so end up grabbing on with their teeth and then the natural ooooh this feels good takes over and they bite. Does explain some of what goes on when they do it for what they think is fun as in they may truly think they are playing and not intending to hurt.

I have the same issue with parents that play wrestle with the kids. The kids do not understand that we pick them up and "slam" them down gently not for real. Once parents realize siblings especially are getting mixed signals about what is ok and what is not it actually got better.