This is my 600th post and it will be about hitting.
And more to the point, Joel hitting. He is suddenly into slapping people in the face. Me, Steve and other children when I take him to a toddler group on a Monday.
I was really taken aback on Monday as he just wandered around the room full of playing children, and would go up a group and just start hitting on faces. I reacted as I hope is normal, and grabbed him, told him 'no' very firmly, and sat him in a quiet corner to sit on his own for a minute. Which he did. I then tried to get him to say sorry to the other children, but they weren't that interested. And then the sitting down in the time out area didn't make the least bit of difference.
It's awful though, as I'd be horrified if Joel were being smacked by others, but to have him as the smackee, is almost worse. I don't know if he wanted the toys the others were playing with, but sometimes they didn't have anything! They were just standing there!
Ironically, he went to toddler group wtih my Mum on Tuesday and didn't even try hitting anyone. He was the one being pushed about by a bigger toddler.
And at nursery, when I told them what he'd been doing, they were shocked as he doesn't hit at nursery at all. At least he didn't. When I went to collect him he smacked me hard in the face, and the staff were very surprised at it, and I was almost relieved that they could see it, and that it was something reserved for me. He seems to use it as a tool to get my attention. At least he's not taking it out on his nursery friends.
So this is where I come over all Jane Austen and say 'Dear Reader', please tell me I'm not too alone in all this, and any ways you might have to encourage him to stop smacking faces! Is he too little for time out, or naughty step? What other method do I have to encourage good behaviour?
My Mum says he may have felt a bit too new and not knowing these other children being new to the group he could be asserting himself.
I'm a bit lost at the moment, and don't want to be a horribly strict mum, but want him to learn right from wrong. Any pointers or suggestions would be gratefully received.
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