Any suggestions for a 3 yo biting?

[momofmikey]

Ah... how I love 3! My DS's latest behavior is biting. He's done it three times in the last few days to my nephew. He's never angry when he does it - him and my nephew are playing and joking around. However, I know how serious it is, and since he's starting preschool in September, I need to nip it in the bud. I'm tempted to try the soap in the mouth (my friend has done this with success), but am open to other suggestions. Timeouts don't work well because any room I put him in has toys, so he'll simply play with his toys - he's pretty independent, so being away from the action doesn't matter to him either. Taking a toy away also doesn't work b/c he doesn't really have any one special toy - he loves them all. I've tried explaining to him that it hurts and it's not nice, but I'm not sure that's enough. I believe he's picking it up from my 1 yo son, who has bitten us lately.

Any suggestions? He's such a lovable, sweet little guy, and it breaks my heart when he acts out - particularly when he could hurt somebody.

Thanks!

 

[Annette_VA]

No real advice on the biting. My 3 yo hasn't ever bitten another child, but will try to bite dh or me when we tell him to stop doing something.

But, as for the time outs, what we do is put him in his old booster seat at the kitchen table. No toys & he's strapped in, so he can't just run off. It works!

 

[momofmikey]

Thanks for the idea of the booster seat - I'll try that next time.

Anyone else?

 

[bananiem]

Technically, just putting him in another room is just removing him from the situation. For a time-out you need to make sure he has no outside stimulation. By that I mean no toys, books, or food. He should have a designated spot (the booster seat is a good example) and "experts " say one minute for each year of age. So he's sit for 3 minutes. As soon as he bites he goes in the chair.
If he hasn't had a history of biting and this is new I'd wonder about a few things:
1.) Is there a new situation that he's having a little trouble adjusting to? You mentioned your nephew- Have your recently started watching him more often or did he just start crawling? It could be your son is startled by him.
2.) Is he trying to defend himself?
3.) Is he getting molars? I suspect this one if he's just started it. Giving him chew toys again might make him leave his cousin alone.
4.) This is a stretch but...We had a little girl who had a history of biting at the center I worked at. One teacher convinced the parents to get her eyesight checked. Once she got her glasses she stopped biting! It turned out her eyesight was so bad she was startled by the other kids and was defending herself. She was 2 and I really don't think this is your son's problem.

 

[Kallison]

bitter apple spray worked on my lab.

 

[Jasminesmommy]

Bite him back. Works wonders. Teach him it hurts. I know some people are going to say thats not the answer but to each his own. Mine never bit anyone so i never had to use it but others have and it stopped. If you don't like that then make a big deal towards the one who got bit and tell the biter "see what you did to ____. He should get the idea.