hitting

[maizy]

How do you handle a 2.5 year old who hits you or a sibling? I've tried explaining hands are not for hitting and that it hurts others. I've asked him if anyone in the family hits and ask that he does not either. I've read books to him about gentle hands, etc but its not working. It seems like DS has the impulse to hit and just does it w/o thinking.  I notice he hits more when he is tired, or hungry but he will also hit his brother just to get attention.

I don't want my 8 yr old feeling like I am not protecting him by letting his little brother hit. I also don't want him to begin hitting peers. Furthermore, I don't like getting hit!  I know it can be common for kid's to go through a hitting/physical stage but HOW do I help him work past it?

Thanks in advance.

[lovelylisa]

I'd like some ideas on this too. My son is almost 2.5 and he's going through the same thing. Today we went to the park and he slapped me as soon as soon as I wouldn't let him get on the big kids swings.

I pulled him aside and explained that we don't hit, etc... and then he did it again. So I took him home. Usually his hitting is accompanied by a high pitched scream. Sigh.

My son is a lot like me when he gets angry... his temper builds up, he gets mad and freaks out, and then he's fine like nothing ever happened. My answer to this has been to remove him from the situation but I wonder if there is a more effective way.

[MommyEnchanted]

My 2.5 year old hits too. She usually does it out of frustration. I've been working on showing her better ways to cope with her frustration/anger. I ask her if she is angry, then ask her why. Then we play the 'facial expression' game, where I ask her to show me different emotions. It isn't the greatest solution, but the hitting has reduced significantly. 

[NZJMama]

In our house we simply say "people are for loving not hitting" and send the child to timeout. No yelling, no long discussions in the heat of the moment (we discuss it at a different time - and  for my older kids we discuss a better way to handle the situation).