Mom Of A Toddler Who Has Bitten 5 Different Kids Is Told To Bite Him Back
The mother refuses to bite her own toddler.
2xSamara.com / Shutterstock The world of motherhood can be difficult when you are trying to teach your toddler the rights and wrongs of playing with other children.
In this case, mother Matilda Norton took to TikTok video asking for help on how to teach her 1-year-old toddler not to bite other kids.
Norton said that her toddler has bitten about five kids and does not know how to stop him from doing it.
Norton asked if any other mother had been in a situation where their child would not stop biting other kids. In a since-deleted video, she explained, “He’s bitten probably five kids now, and I don’t know how to stop it,” she said.
According to Norton, her toddler, if left unsupervised even for a second, will be in bite mode. Although Norton did look up how to stop her child from his bad habit, the only solution she found was to bite him back, which she refused to do.
When a toddler is constantly biting other children, it means they have strong emotions but cannot communicate with words.
It is common to see toddlers biting around the age of 1. This is not because they choose to hurt anyone, but because they are not yet able to communicate how they are feeling. Instead of words, they express their emotions through actions.
Erin Floyd, a clinical child psychologist in Atlanta, told Parents, "Whether it's munching on a friend's arm or biting while breastfeeding, 1-year-olds lead with their mouth."
Judith Garrard, a psychologist and professor emerita at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, told the outlet that toddlers' mouths are used as a tool, “a way for them to learn about the world as well as a source of comfort."
Norton responded to a comment encouraging her to bite her toddler to teach him to stop biting other children.
Norton explained that most of her comments were encouraging, but she was not willing to follow the advice of biting her son to teach him a lesson.
“I had a biter! We bit him back hard. It cured him,” the user commented. Norton, however, was adamant that she could never imagine doing this to her son.
“Could you bite this little boy back?” Norton said. “Because I could never do that to him.”
However, she did thank other mothers who responded with comments about methods that didn’t include putting their teeth on their children. Norton said she was going to try the "don't bite this, but you can bite that," method.
Despite being adamant about not biting her son, there were still almost 3,000 commenters telling her she should.
Norton gave a final update after doctors said it was ‘just a phase.’
Norton revealed on TikTok the great news that her son was already growing out of his biting phase. It was clear to her that he was beginning to understand what "bite" meant and that it was something he should not do.
After speaking to her pediatrician her mind was put at ease after confirmation that his behavior was normal in little ones struggling to express big emotions without the ability to say them.
Although he did still require adult supervision when playing with other kids, just in case, Norton was happy to report that his habit would likely soon be a thing of the past.
At the end of the day, Norton did everything right: She didn't react impulsively, researched the issue, and spoke to her pediatrician.
Biting your own child to teach them a lesson is never a solution.
Lauren Reams is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news.