Hi all,
I was hoping to tap into the collective wisdom here about something we’re starting to navigate. Our youngest, Lewis, is 14 months old and has just started experimenting with hitting and the occasional bite when he’s frustrated. Of course, it’s a normal developmental phase, but it feels so different this time around.
With three older kids in the house (my son is 6, and my step-children are 10), there’s an audience for everything. My main concern is managing their reactions and ensuring they understand it’s not malicious, while also making it clear to Lewis that this behaviour isn’t acceptable. We try to keep our home calm and focus on gentle communication, but a sudden whack or bite can really disrupt that!
My approach has been to get down to his level, firmly and calmly say, “No, we don’t hit,” and then try to figure out the cause of his frustration. It’s also a new challenge for my partner and me to ensure we’re perfectly aligned on our response, as we both have different experiences from when our older children were this age.
I’m curious how others handle this, especially in a busy, blended family. How do you explain these behaviours to older siblings? Any practical tips for creating a consistent response when you have multiple kids and two parents trying to stay on the same page?