EEK! We have 2 biters!!!

[Sheer Bliss]

Any advice from non multi-mums also welcome!! :yes:

DD2 & DS2 have been fighting a bit lately (20months) pulling toys off each other and I have noticed them 'hugging' aka, sinking the teeth in with one behind the other and the one in-front screaming. They usually pull apart before I get there, I console the upset one, get them sorted and they are fine again for 5mins or half an hour! It is always on each others back where the other can't seem to fight back as they are pushed onto the ground.

Fast fwd to bath-time, and OMG!!!! :( :eek: It looks like they have both been mauled my a dog with bite marks and bruises all over each others backs!! Poor bubbas!!! With the older 2 home (DS1 permanently now as he is not going back to daycare) and DD1 back to school in a weeks time, staying ontop of them at all times is rather difficult.

What can I do?? I do the usual re-direction, remind the biter it is not nice, it hurts, lots of attention to the one bitten - but EEK!!!! DS1 (who seems to be the main offender) has been in 'time-out' a couple of times (kiddie gate shutting him out in the toy room, and unable to play where the rest of us are) for a minute as sometimes he gets really frustrated and hits/throws things when I pry him off his sister. And it is rarely their older brother and sister they bite, mostly each other.

Any suggestions of biting back or smacking will not be responded to, it is not an approach I will be taking - thanks.

[Nomsie]

I went through the same thing, and whilst I haven't got rid of the problem completely it has reduced now that they are learning to communicate with each other and me better.

I can't say I had a brilliant plan.. I just did basically what you do.. reprimand the 'bully' briefly, and then spend time consoling the hurt one..

ETA, sorry, B woke up briefly!

Yeah, I think it's just a stage all (most?) kids go through when they can't communicate properly, as you would most likely know.

I know how hard it is when you put them in the bath and see the bite marks all over each other, but they will learn :)

[SPC]

We have 10 months between mine and flattie's toddlers. They had a spate of biting and we had a zero tolerance policy; very stern 'No biting' or 'You will NOT bite', and then being taken away from the scene for a minute or two and much consoling of the victim. Biting on the back is sneaky! The girls bit arms and legs and that was easier to address because they could see the marks and were obviously upset by them and pointed them out a lot, and that seemed to stop it.

[Timestwo]

Apparently its really really really common with twins to bite each other for some reason but not necessarily be 'biters' of other kids. We were only talking about it at twins group the other day.

My 2 arent biters yet but they sure do fight and wrestle like world champions. I do the same as you and am keeping my fingers crossed that it stops or settles down at least when their communication is better.

[alanasmum]

My DD bites, but DS doesn't. When she does bite, she gets a stern talking too, cuddles for the other twin, etc. I also say "we don't bite, kisses instead" and sometimes she will change the biting into kissing! I always make her apologise and give her brother a cuddle when she has hurt him so she knows that she's done the wrong thing. She also bites her older sister. :no:

They too have started fighting a lot in the last couple of weeks and I am constantly separating them as they are starting to get quite physical with pushing and hitting. It's not very nice at all.

[Sheer Bliss]

Good to know I am not the only one!!! It's crazy, esp as they are together sooo much!!! I guess i'll just keep going doing the same thing.

THANKYOU!! :hugs:

Now to work out how to get them to stop climbing and dancing on the table :hair::hair::hair:

[MagicalLeopluradon]

Ahhhh My DS1 started biting at 11 months, it was horrible! He bit a little boy at a birthday party I was so embaressed, the Mother looked at me like I was just awful and started yelling at my son saying NO you dont bite and I just said sorry but he is only 11 months old.

He bited out of pure excitement, he didnt know how to control his emotions, he bit my DS2 when he was only 2 months old :(

It lasted about 6 months, thank god.

But when he bit me I used to pick him up and put him at the other side of the room.

[TripleTime]

Biting was crazy here for a while, as speech has gotten better the biting as eased. They now only bit when something doesn't go their way. I don't remember the last time someone bit.

I moved the biter & comforted the bitee.

[krystallxx]

Yep my two bite .. One is worse then the other. Cant help but it will get better eventually :)