[Firstlady]

As you all know, we have a 19 month old. He is generally very well behaved, but seems to be picking up a habit of hitting when he doesn't get his way. He will hit anything in sight (his leg, a book, the bed, whatever he can get his hands on) and then look at you like, what are you going to do about it. I thought it was just a phase, but he seems to be getting worse and I want it to stop before the baby comes. Any advice from when your kids went through this stage? I want to deck him sometimes but obviously hitting him isn't going to stop the behavior!! Thanks in advance!!

[Bigdrumma22]

Originally Posted by Firstlady

As you all know, we have a 19 month old. He is generally very well behaved, but seems to be picking up a habit of hitting when he doesn't get his way. He will hit anything in sight (his leg, a book, the bed, whatever he can get his hands on) and then look at you like, what are you going to do about it. I thought it was just a phase, but he seems to be getting worse and I want it to stop before the baby comes. Any advice from when your kids went through this stage? I want to deck him sometimes but obviously hitting him isn't going to stop the behavior!! Thanks in advance!!

I'm not a parent but have 2 young niece and nephews that are at our house 24/7 since they were both babies when my sister works. They basically only get disciplined at our house because my sister lets them do whatever they want. These two kids make me scared to ever have kids! My niece is now 3 1/2 and my nephew is 2. He's the worse of the two and cries for anything, says no, screams like a girl, and talks back with the few words he knows. Sometimes it does take a spanking or two, but no... do not deck him! I know that feeling too. If he wants to hit something, let him as long as its not the new baby. Pretty soon, he'll find out that it hurts to hit certain things and he won't do it anymore. Ever watched supernanny? Even though, it's just a tv show, a lot of that stuff works. He'll keep craving attention if you give it to him. So let him punch a wall, and when it hurts bad enough for him to cry... let him cry. Don't baby him and ask if you can make it better.

[timpryor]

Future UFC fighter you have there Michelle! thats retirement right there

[SUfanINsa]

smack his hand and if it continues, sit him in timeout, 1 min. for every year old. So in his case 2 min.(seems like an eternity to a child. Or do like I do and field goal him across the room and tell him you will give him something to cry about.

[Firstlady]

HaHa Steve....sometimes with my hormones I think about locking him in the closet and leaving the room....but then I come to my senses!!

I am going to try the timeout thing...although I wonder if he will actually sit somewhere for two whole minutes....gonna work on that when Daddy is home this weekend so he can help me chase him!!

[Bigdrumma22]

Originally Posted by Firstlady

HaHa Steve....sometimes with my hormones I think about locking him in the closet and leaving the room....but then I come to my senses!!

I am going to try the timeout thing...although I wonder if he will actually sit somewhere for two whole minutes....gonna work on that when Daddy is home this weekend so he can help me chase him!!

I don't know about a closet, but there was a point when we would put them in "the pen" and they would stay there and cry for 10 minutes or so. Then when they would stop crying, they would get to come back out. "The pen" was just the lil' folding playpen, but once they were both old enough to walk, they hated being in it, so they learned their lesson. Oh, and my nephew gets timeouts in a chair from my grandmother and he listens and stays there for the time being. It doesn't stop him from doing something bad once he gets out of timeout though. So beware!

[Marcus]

My youngest would head butt the floor when she got mad. She has'nt done it since she got mad in a part of our house that is tile. She'll be 3 in August. The oldest (turns 5 in August) went through it too, but got past it. It took a lot of repeated, consistent correction.

[SUfanINsa]

Originally Posted by Firstlady

HaHa Steve....sometimes with my hormones I think about locking him in the closet and leaving the room....but then I come to my senses!!

I am going to try the timeout thing...although I wonder if he will actually sit somewhere for two whole minutes....gonna work on that when Daddy is home this weekend so he can help me chase him!!

make him sit there, even if you have to stay they and watch him do it. Everytime he gets up or tries to leave, clock restarts. Just remember 2 min is 2 min. gotta keep him in designated spot for 2 min. Also make sure you take him to the same timeout spot everytime, someplace that he does not go to or play at, that will get him associated with that certain spot means he has done something bad. Dont yell at him just walk him over to T.O. and sit him down tell him he has to sit there for 2 min without getting up and after he does have him tell you he is sorry and will not hit again.

[machgsxr]

My son would get mad and hit his own head. You have to catch him right away and grab their hands and tell them no and spank their hands. It pissed him off and he would start crying. He stopped after a few times of that.

[Wiked]

smacking kids within certain limits is needed. If he wants to hit you, show him what its like to get hit, he will most likely cry out of hurt feelings. If that doesnt work put him in a safe room with the lights off for a few seconds (say 10 to 15) and make him understand that that will happen for a longer period if he doesnt calm down.

Im sorry I just have no patience for kids that act up constantly and even less for parents that simply expect them to learn their lesson on their own. I understand kids will always act up, but bawling kicking and screaming should have VERY LOW tolerance points in any case.

[JENA]

Originally Posted by Bigdrumma22

... put them in "the pen" and they would stay there...

That sounds like a good option Michelle, since Cam is so young, at least you could keep him in the play pen, as his time out place for now till he learns that time out means you stay in one spot until your told. Unless he manages to climb out of the play pen then try another place. Although you would be amazed at how well kids catch on to timeout at a young age, Justin would stay in time out, starting around 2, almost turning 3, sometimes at that age, I would forget he was in timeout and he would fall asleep there. lol

I just had a phase where he would get frustrated and groan or hit things, but I think he kind of grew out of it, but I did yell at him a lot about it and use the "spoon"

[Bigdrumma22]

Originally Posted by JENA

That sounds like a good option Michelle, since Cam is so young, at least you could keep him in the play pen, as his time out place for now till he learns that time out means you stay in one spot until your told. Unless he manages to climb out of the play pen then try something another place. Although you would be amazed at how well kids catch on to timeout at a young age, Justin would stay in time out, starting around 2, almost turning 3, sometimes at that age, I would forget he was in timeout and he would fall asleep there. lol

I just had a phase where he would get frustrated and groan or hit things, but I think he kind of grew out of it, but I did yell at him a lot about it and use the "spoon"

HAHA... yeah... forgot to mention "the pen" is only good until they can climb out on their own. I'd say "you want me to put you in the pen?", and they'd shake their head frantically and say "nah uh" in a sad whimpering voice. Oh and they know about "the belt" too, similar use like "the spoon", but reserved use for the grandparents.

[thesource]

Kids need rules and guidelines . I am not for child abuse but a good old fashion butt spanking helps sometimes . I would start with a simple slap on his hand when he does it . If it continues , increase the intenseness of the slap . If he continues , swat him on his butt . If that does not work and doesn't on some kids , time out usually will but be prepared to listen to them raise hell about it .........

[Firstlady]

Thanks guys. Cameron does get discipline even though we live with his grandparents...I make sure he has rules and follows them. He certainly is well behaved for an almost 2 year old. I just wanted to try some techniques maybe I was overlooking to add to telling him no and swatting him on the butt.....it just seems like he doesn't understand why Mommy and Daddy can swat at him when we are mad, but he isn't to do the same thing. That is kind of far thinking for such a young age to understand to do as I say, not as I do.

[thesource]

Well then you better not put him in time out or he might lock you in a room when he gets mad ..........