Amanda 05/21/2010
Question:
My little girl is 20 months old and she’s always hitting and trying to poke people’s eyes. What can I do to stop her? I keep telling her “No, that’s not nice,” but it’s not helping.
Answer:
Limit-testing is a toddler's way of figuring out what he or she can and cannot do. As the limit setter, you, the parent, are teaching your child the rules of society, acceptable conduct and kindness to others.
If your simple response is not helping, you might try using a more stern tone to emphasize your distaste. You can try ignoring your child (the "poker") and paying attention instead to the "pokee." Be sure to compliment your poker when she interacts with others appropriately.
Finally, consider if she is frustrated due to language difficulties and whether she needs help with language development.