Trouble With Hitting? Help Is Here!!

I just had to share the most excellent tip I got from my friend Kate.

Toddlers go a million miles an hour. Trying to put them into a "time out" can seem like an impossible feat but at the same time how do you get across to them that they did something wrong without resorting to corporal punishment (hitting)?

I know that lately Willow, at 16 months old, had really been testing her limits. This includes hitting, pinching, throwing things at my face, and biting from time to time. Every time she would do this, I would say in a firm voice "No ________. ________ hurts mommy!"

As you can imagine, she wasn't buying it. Then along comes my good friend Kate with the most lovely suggestion!!


She said that I should set up the pack and play and use it as the "time out" spot. What a FANTASTIC idea!! That way, your toddler is contained and can't run away laughing after pinching you so hard that you have to check to make sure your skin is intact.

So, now the discipline regimen is as follows:

1. Warning from Mommy or Daddy: "We don't ________. ________ hurts."


2. "No ________. ________ hurts mommy (daddy)!" followed by entrance to the "Reflection Area" for 1 minute.


3. Mommy (Daddy) leaves the room.


4. Major crying for 1 minute.


5. Mommy (Daddy) comes back to arms raised for rescue from the "Reflection Area".


6. Reminder: "No ________. ________ hurts."

This usually means the undesirable behavior is as good as gone, at least for the day.

I have seen good results so far and I have good expectations for the future.

Let me know if you use this idea and I hope that maybe it can help you if you are having the same problems I am having. Obviously, if your child is big enough to climb out of the pack and play, this may not work for you.

Good luck!!