Hitting, pinching, kicking, OH MY!

[melmcwhorter]

My newly-three year old boy has gradually increased his ever-so-endearing displays of hitting, pinching, and occasionally kicking.  He's really sweet much of the time, but when he does not get his way in any form -- or when he just plain feels like it under benign circumstances -- he will do these things.  His sweet 9 year old sister is often the recipient, or myself and Daddy.  Time-outs do not seem to have any effect, and I'm feeling increasingly ineffective and clueless.  The "we do not hit people" routine is lost on him, at this age. 

Any suggestions?  Any reassurance that he will grow out of this into a "normal" kind individual like the rest of his family?!

Thanks in advance ~

[Jend1002]

Mind if I join you?  I have a similar boy who is just over 2 1/2.  I would love suggestions as well!  It's incredibly frustrating and I have no useful response at this point. 

[DangerMom]

Oh, I need help, too. My son is two, and we're going through the same thing. We do the whole "we do not hit" thing, and he's just starting to get it (sometimes). By that I mean he will hit or kick, and then after we say it you can see him raise his hand back and pause, as if he's really struggling because he wants to hit but has heard us. Sometimes he goes ahead and does it, sometimes not. I know he's struggling with impulse control. He'll go hit inanimate objects sometimes after we remind him no hitting -- I'm not sure if I think this is okay or not. 

Not sure what to do because we damn sure aren't going to hit him back, and he thinks being sat down to cool off is funny. I'm really just hoping its a phase that we can just ride out. I honestly don't know what to do at his age other than to keep reminding him that we do not hit.