Hitting each other or you...

my girls have recently gotten into hitting at/pushing each other or me when they don't get their way. how do you handle this? do you spank them on the hand or put them in time out or just say 'no' or what? i know i should start figuring out a time out place, but really at 20 months, how do you get them to stay in a time out place? i guess this is the terrible two's starting... sigh.

 

We've done time-out from 20ish months on. At first, the time-out spot was in a dining room chair with arms so that we could push it up to the table and they couldn't "escape". Now, time-out is just in a regular chair and they sit there without getting up (occasionally they will act like they are going to get up and we only have to say "sit back down")

At 25 months, they still like to hit eachother and me (less than they hit each other, though). I'm afraid some of it is just sibling-type behaviors that will be ongoing for the next few years (at least). They are almost always in eacho others' space, stealing toys, fighting over my lap, etc.

 

Glad you posted this my boys have also started this :catfight: for now I tell them no hitting and see if they stop/move on or if it continues remove the aggressor from the situation. I need to set up a pnp for time outs.

 

So far my guys don't hit each other too much (I'm sure it's coming soon! :gah: ). When they do, I make the hitter sign "sorry" and give lots of attention to the hittee.

They like to hit me more. I wear a lot of tank tops around the house, and they love to hear the sound of their hand slapping my bare chest. When they hit me, I try not to react with "ouch" (that makes them laugh and do it more), and tell them "no hitting". I give them 3 chances, and on their last chance I say "once more and mama's leaving/putting you down". If they hit one more time, I walk away if I'm sitting with them, or put them down if I'm holding them. They really get the message!

We will start doing time-outs when I feel like they'll understand it and when/if they start to hit in anger. I don't think they're quite ready now.

Hope this helps!

 

I haven't had good luck with them understanding that they are doing wrong. but I will say that it mostly happens when they are tired or rather overtired and play time or bath time gets cut so we can get them to bed.