Help with Biting - Stow,OH

I really like the Love & Logic parenting method's approach to discipline at that age. Basically, when the child bites, IMMEDIATELY in a happy, sing song voice, say "Uh oh!" and just remove the child from the situation. At that age, since she's obviously not doing it out of aggression, I wouldn't put her in a time-out type place, just redirect her to something else, like "Biting hurts... look at this fun toy!" The trick is consistency and responding immediately. Eventually, she'll understand that when you sing "uh oh!" she's doing something she shouldn't be doing and she'll stop... or she'll start pointing to things she knows she's not supposed to do and tell YOU "uh oh!" It's amazing to watch it work!

Try putting her in a highchair and giving her frozen fruit. They have those little mesh things that you can put it in to keep her from choking on it. It probably feels good to be biting on something and the tethers are good, but the fruit will numb her gums too and help with the urge to bite. other than that and what you're already doing, I think you just have to wait. Hopefully her teeth will come through soon and you'll be past it.

Bummer... biting is no fun for anyone:(

Could you ask the parents to pay extra so that you can hire a mother's helper? I am thinking along the lines of a teenager (now that school is just about out) who can basically shadow her all day and grab her as soon as she looks like she might bite.

That is what my daycare did - assigned a shadow to a child who was biting - but it was a center and there was almost always an extra person around.

Google chew time. In child care the licensing worker often has a lot of information to help with this issue. Ours was a great resource. I would just call her when I had an issue and she would have tons of resources for me.

If you are a member of a local directors group or child care home owners group I would ask the other directors what has worked for them.

Or call some local child care centers and talk to the directors there. They all have been where you are.

Of course you can't tell more than the child age and what you have done to stop it.

When you look up chew time you'll get a lot of ideas of chewy foods that you can offer her. But make sure they are not foods that are choke hazards. Like raisins, they may not be allowed in your stater regulations book until she is 2 or 3. Some chewy foods will not be suitable for her age.

Segregating her may be the only way to protect the other kids. It is not fun for her I know but no matter where she goes she will bite so trying to make it work until she is past this stage is best for everyone.