How Can I Teach My Child That Biting Is Bad Behavior?

Watching or hearing that your toddler is biting his playmates is always upsetting. But it’s actually really common for toddlers to go through a biting phase. Since they’re not yet able to communicate their emotions, particularly frustration, they bite. Most parents are pretty understanding since they know next week it could be their child who’s doing the biting.

So how do you handle a biting incident? First, you should always console the other child first. It sends a message that biting isn’t an effective way to get attention. Also keep in mind that toddlers don’t understand how much biting hurts. So, once you’ve tended to the other child, you should pull your child aside to tell him just that in a firm voice: “Biting hurts. Don’t bite. Biting is bad.”

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