"He has EARS!"

[srs]

So says DD (almost 3) every single time she sees her new brother (7 weeks). At the top of her lungs. And then she grabs his ear, which generally wakes him up.

I'm thrilled that she's so excited about her brother, but I'm about at the end of my rope with the ear thing, and I can't think of an effective logical consequence to "If you keep grabbing his ears and screaming in mine, then ...". The things I've tried don't seem to be having any effect. I've left the room with him, I've put him in a carrier so she can't reach him, I've suggested she grab my ears, I've tugged on her ears, I've put him down to play with her when he's awake and told her she can (gently) touch his ears then, but she persists in grabbing his ears when he's asleep. Any suggestions?

She told me today that she really likes to say "EARS" loudly, so even though it drives me bonkers, I'm up for that being a playtime thing, just not an at the dinner table type of thing.

[journeymom]

I could not read without commenting. Her impulsive behavior is pretty typical of this age. She may be bored. It's the cabin fever time of year.

Your son's 'bodily integrity' ( for lack of a less dramatic term) and his need to not be wakened, not to mention your own hearing, trumps her enthusiastic curiosity.

I've left the room with him, I've put him in a carrier so she can't reach him,

When you've done that, have you told her that her actions are the reason you're doing it? 'Today little brother is in the carrier because you keep yelling at him and touching him when I've told you not to.' That kind of thing?

You might try dedicating a day to focusing on this. Watch her like a hawk. If you can catch her before she goes to yell and grab his ears, swiftly walk to her, hold her hands, kneel down to her level, with eye contact and say, 'Remember, you don't do this.' You're being gentle, but firm.

Repeat, repeat, repeat. If she yells in your ear before you can stop her, jump back and say, 'Ow! That hurts! I can't be near someone who hurts me like that.' And then turn away and walk away. Even just a few feet.

And maybe it'll help, maybe it won't. At this age you're doing a lot of repetition, until she simply grows out of it.

[Anastasiya]

Put a hat on him when he's sleeping so she can't see them?

[sgmom]

Lemme get this straight... your daughter likes his ears and feels the need to express it (loudly), often at inappropriate times (like when he's sleeping)? I'm sorry, but I think that's the cutest thing ever.

Is she capable of expressing emotion in quieter ways? Can you maybe teach her to squeal quietly (for some reason, kids love doing this once they get it figured out how) and spin in circles clapping her hands (or something equally as silly), instead of shouting "ears" at the top of her lungs?

I have no real advice (or at least no good advice), but I just had to comment. YTour daughter sounds like an absolute cutie pie.

[Amatullah0]

Originally Posted by Anastasiya

Put a hat on him when he's sleeping so she can't see them?

that is the cutest hat ever!