https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 09 May 2026 07:04:59 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-hitting#post-591069 Mon, 25 Feb 2013 08:48:59 +0000 pelikila 591069@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We addressed it by demonstrating "gentle" and "soft" touches with our dogs and each other and correct him each time he wasn't be gentle enough (similar to what you are already doing). The only change we did was when DS would turn it into a game we would remove ourselves from his reach. I would say "no hitting, gentle touches only" and set him down away from me and do something else while he trantrumed or cried about it. Once he settled or would get overly upset, I'd go back to him and pick him up and tell him "if he can't be gentle then he doesn't get to touch". By 13 months old he was able to understand even though he didn't have verbal skills yet. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-hitting#post-591059 Mon, 25 Feb 2013 08:43:19 +0000 Sammyfab 591059@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with others about being stern about no hitting and either redirecting him and/or showing him gentle touches. He just don't have the motor control at this age to differentiate between gentle and not-so-gentle. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-hitting#post-591042 Mon, 25 Feb 2013 08:31:12 +0000 Dandelion 591042@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it's normal, too. Just be stern when you say NO and hold his hand for a few seconds to let him know it wasn't ok. They definitely just don't know their own strength at that age, so they don't think of themselves as harmful. Also, if whatever he's hitting can be removed then do that, too. If he hits it, he's not allowed to be near it (dog, baby, etc.) until he learns to be gentle with it. It'll take a while. hang in there! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-hitting#post-591019 Mon, 25 Feb 2013 08:05:06 +0000 T.H.O.U. 591019@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think yes it's normal. What helped us was to show her gentle touches so she knew what to do instead of hitting. It still didn't completely break the hitting habit but it helps. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-hitting#post-591000 Mon, 25 Feb 2013 07:54:04 +0000 Mrs. Grizzly Bear 591000@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS, who is thirteen months old, has started hitting more lately. I don't know if this is a developmental thing where he just doesn't know his own strength yet or what. When I say 'Ow' or try to act stern, he finds this funny and just starts hitting more. To be fair to him we have been trying to teach him how to 'love easy' on my parent's dog and we tend to show our affection by little head bonks (never hard, just little taps of the forehead but he loves the sound of the word 'bonk'). And he also gives good hugs and cuddles. But I'm concerned with this constant swatting and hitting at, knocking things over when we're in a tantrum and the likes.</p> <p>I know it's probably completely normal but we're about to have a baby. Like, any day now. I'm concerned that he might try and hit at the baby to wake it up or try to tell it to be quiet or the likes. I don't know how to make him understand that something's not okay, especially when it could injure another member of our family. He's still really young so I can't sit him down and have a conversation with him about it and when I do reprimand him for hitting (like by gently grabbing his hand and holding it so he can't pull away or gently smacking his hand), he just gets angry and cries. And the hitting continues later. </p> <p>Has anyone else had experience with this? What did you do? How would you handle this situation? </p>