If your toddler has been bitten at daycare or is the one doing the biting, don't worry—you're not alone. Research shows that up to half of toddlers have experienced biting incidents at daycare. While it’s a common part of toddler development, it does pose a safety concern that daycares typically address if it becomes a repeated issue.
Before diving into solutions, it helps to understand why toddlers bite in the first place. First, it’s important to remember that they can’t yet express feelings like excitement, anger, tiredness, or frustration with words - their limited communication proves to be challenging at times. Other reasons for biting include curiosity experimentation, especially when teething.
Remember that your childcare provider is your partner. They should be a resource to help navigate this stage and get your child back to their normal routine as quickly as possible.
When trying to pinpoint why your child is biting at daycare, ask specific questions like:
What occurred right before the biting incident?
Who was your child interacting with? Is it someone they usually play with?
Are they biting different children each time?
What was your child doing, and where were they?
Who was supervising your child, and how did they respond?
There are steps that parents and childcare professionals can take to reduce biting. Ask your provider how they utilize the following:
Distraction - with a toy, book, activity, or by changing their location. Sometimes toddlers need a change of scenery.
Sharing Techniques - to reduce aggression by using timers or providing multiple popular toys.
Appropriate Education - during calm times, teach about biting using age-appropriate books and movies like "Teeth Are Not for Biting."
Alternative Communication - language and strategies for handling situations without biting.
Modeling - showing your children how to handle frustration by taking a break or taking deep breaths.
If these strategies don’t seem to be working, consult your childcare and pediatric provider for further advice. They can connect you with child development specialists and parent educators, assess for any signs of developmental delays, and provide early intervention if necessary. Dealing with a biting toddler doesn't make you a bad parent. In fact, seeking out knowledge and resources to help your child express their needs in a healthy way shows you are a dedicated and excellent parent. Hang in there—this phase will pass with time and effort. Plus, someday you’ll look back on this and laugh (really, you will!).
Hang in there!
Paige
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