As a parent, you want what is best for your toddler. You may have even tried different strategies to stop hitting and encourage good behaviour in the past. But what if nothing seems to work?
This article covers 7 tips that you can use to help stop your toddler from hitting!
1. Reward good behaviour
The first tip is to reward good behaviour. If they are not hitting, then make a fuss over them and give them something that they love! These might be stickers or bubbles. Be careful about rewarding inappropriate behaviour as well because you want this child to know what the boundaries are. They will feel more comfortable knowing where those lines are drawn for them.
2. Give them space
The second tip is to give them space when they are angry or frustrated. Something may have gone wrong, for instance knocking a Lego model over and it smashing or they may have been reprimanded by a sibling for mixing playdough, for example. If they need a few minutes to themselves as a result of something happening, then it might be best for the child if they spend that time in their room with some toys so that they can calm down on their own. This will help stop those bad behaviours!
3. Set boundaries
It’s important that you set clear boundaries for your child. This will help stop them from hitting because they know what the consequences are if they break those rules. It may seem like a simple thing, but this one can really make an impact on their life.
4. Check their status
Next, try to make sure that your child is not hungry, tired or bored. These are big factors for frustration and anger, so if they do have those feelings, then it might be best to address them before anything else happens!
5. Limit tech time
Another tip is to limit the time on electronics; this can also cause problems with aggression. If you notice a lot of bad behaviours, then it might be time to take a break from electronics.
6. Distraction
The next tip is the approach of distraction. If they are hitting or doing something wrong, don’t tell them what to do! Instead, try distracting their attention and see if that works for you. This can really help get rid of unacceptable behaviours and encourage good ones at the same time.
7. Set a time limit
The last tip is to set a clear time limit on the behaviours that are not acceptable. For example, if your child hits, then you can tell them “no hitting” and they have five minutes before it gets worse! This will make sure that they know what their consequences are for those actions, so hopefully, this helps with any inappropriate behaviour in the future.
If your toddler is constantly hitting, you may wonder what to do. The best strategy is consistency and patience. If you are consistent with your child, then they will know how to behave in different situations. Being patient with your child will help them learn more quickly, and it saves a lot of time in the long run.
It’s important that you set clear boundaries for your child. This will help stop them from hitting because they know what to expect as consequences if they break those rules. It may seem like a simple thing, but this one can really impact their life.
All of this takes patience on both parents’ parts—especially during those times where things get really hectic at home or there are other distractions such as friends over or siblings fighting.
But once again, all these strategies can help achieve peace and harmony within your family!
Good luck – we really hope that you start to see improvements soon.
