So, um, isn't Sara a wee bit young to have the rep of a "biter"?

[peanut4us]

Gah! I thought this was a 2 or 3 year old kid kind of problem, but nope, my sweet little 11-month old is a BITER!

At church on Sunday she was playing on the floor with a 7 month old... she crawled up to him and kissed him on the forehead. I turned to have the "isn't she so sweet" talk with the boy's mom, and he starts screaming... yeah. She bit him, HARD, on the forehead--hard enough to leave red lines that lasted the duration of church!

So yesterday she crawls up to DH, climbs up on him and leans into his shoulder, like it's huggy time, and bites him hard... um, he still has the mark THIS MORNING!

I am beside myself. We are doing the immoblization thing to teach her not to bite, but I don't know if that is going to work with this. Any suggestions. She seems too young to really understand.

[McQ]

I think Sara's has been over to our house teaching this trick to Declan :) He bites us all the time. On our shoulders, kneecaps and toes, anywhere. He'll come right over to you and give you a bite. I think I say "no biting" a zillion times a day. Other than that, I don't know what to do. If it's handy, I go find his teething ring (the old fashion silver one) which he loves and say "here, bite this".

Allison
~ mommy to Declan 3.24.03

[nathansmom]

Well in a few weeks Sara and Nathan can take turns biting each other. Nathan is biting anything and everything he comes in contact with.
I'll try to email or call you later about meeting up in a few weeks.

[amp]

Joey, former preschool teacher here, and I just want to assure you that biting at this age, while not appropriate, is not uncommon. It's an exploratory age. They also don't have expressive language yet, and they frustrated. Add to that the fact that they have new teeth they want to try out and the fact that they are teething and the simple act of digging those teeth into something feels good. It's necessary to let Sara know it is *not* ok to bite and that it hurts, but I wouldn't put so much emphasis on it that she uses it as a means of getting attention. Sounds like you are handling it perfectly, and with a little luck and a little intervention, she'll get the message.