Is aggression normal in young toddlers?

Ladies, I need help.... My baby beats me up

Honestly, is is mostly just towards me (and toys) and I think it is a little more than just frustration.
Ex: Just now, we were playing on the couch and I was tickling him, he was laughing, etc and he gently comes up to me and puts his hands on my face like he is going to give me a kiss. He then decided, instead, to claw and squeeze my face. I pulled him away, looked him in the eyes made a sad face and then told him "no hitting mommy - that hurts".
His reaction??? Hitting me in the face and then laughing about it for 2 minutes.

He is also always smashing his toys and finds it hysterical to destroy things. My DH doesn't think it is a problem because "he is a typical BOY"

Re: Is aggression normal in young toddlers?

I would do exactly what you did and then calmly choose a word like "gentle" or "easy" or "do nice" take his hand and show him the right way. I would take aggression towards people a lot more seriously than towards toys. But yes, it's normal.

Re: Is aggression normal in young toddlers?

Posted by mikeswife06

I would do exactly what you did and then calmly choose a word like "gentle" or "easy" or "do nice" take his hand and show him the right way. I would take aggression towards people a lot more seriously than towards toys. But yes, it's normal.

Re: Is aggression normal in young toddlers?

How old is your son? My son does the same types of things, he has been doing that for a while. He often tries to hit me right across the face-we were doing exactly what you do, taking his hand, rubbing my face, and telling him to be gentle and "do nice". We have now stepped it up to time outs-for just a minute. THis seems to be having an impact on him-he is starting to understand our warnings and it is starting (very slowly) to stop some of the negative behavior. We just started the timeouts in teh last week or so and he is going to be two in the beginning of March. I think its totally normal behavior, it is just hard to get them to realize that it is not appropriate behavior.

Re: Is aggression normal in young toddlers?

My kids are 13 months and both have hit me, scratched my face etc. They get one warning-be nice to Mama while I show them "nice" by stroking my face. If they hurt me again. I put them down(in my babyproofed LR and leave the room for a few minutes. I do not look at them or soothe them. Then I go back in and say OK now be nice to Mama-they are pretty good with it. NEVER ever laugh and don't let your DH do it either

Re: Is aggression normal in young toddlers?

Posted by 1stimemom

Ladies, I need help.... My baby beats me up

Honestly, is is mostly just towards me (and toys) and I think it is a little more than just frustration.
Ex: Just now, we were playing on the couch and I was tickling him, he was laughing, etc and he gently comes up to me and puts his hands on my face like he is going to give me a kiss. He then decided, instead, to claw and squeeze my face. I pulled him away, looked him in the eyes made a sad face and then told him "no hitting mommy - that hurts".
His reaction??? Hitting me in the face and then laughing about it for 2 minutes.

He is also always smashing his toys and finds it hysterical to destroy things. My DH doesn't think it is a problem because "he is a typical BOY"

Re: Is aggression normal in young toddlers?

I think it's pretty normal. My little guy does that sometimes when he's trying to get my attention. Its hard for them since they don't have words to communicate with us.

Re: Is aggression normal in young toddlers?

He thinks he is playing.
I would bend down on his level-if you do not tall people are intimidating. Tell him do not hit and you are having a time out.
Put him in a room 1 min for every year old-ex: 2 mins for 2 years old.
When he comes out tell him to say sorry mama.
good luck!

Re: Is aggression normal in young toddlers?

I would correct him and then immediately put him down

if he it hitting, you will not hold him

Re: Is aggression normal in young toddlers?

Thanks for the responses ladies. I have been trying the time outs. He has been at this for a few months now, and it just seems to be getting worse. Don't get me wrong, he is good 90% of the time, but that other 10%

Re: Is aggression normal in young toddlers?

Posted by shamrock124

Posted by 1stimemom

Ladies, I need help.... My baby beats me up

Honestly, is is mostly just towards me (and toys) and I think it is a little more than just frustration.
Ex: Just now, we were playing on the couch and I was tickling him, he was laughing, etc and he gently comes up to me and puts his hands on my face like he is going to give me a kiss. He then decided, instead, to claw and squeeze my face. I pulled him away, looked him in the eyes made a sad face and then told him "no hitting mommy - that hurts".
His reaction??? Hitting me in the face and then laughing about it for 2 minutes.

He is also always smashing his toys and finds it hysterical to destroy things. My DH doesn't think it is a problem because "he is a typical BOY"

Honestly, I would never tolerate that. I would not even respond to him clawing and sqeezing except to lift him up and put him in time out and tell him he's going to time out for clawing mommy. I think children need to learn that being physical won't even get a warning...automatic time out.

Re: Is aggression normal in young toddlers?

Posted by eddiesmommy

Posted by shamrock124

Posted by 1stimemom

Ladies, I need help.... My baby beats me up

Honestly, is is mostly just towards me (and toys) and I think it is a little more than just frustration.
Ex: Just now, we were playing on the couch and I was tickling him, he was laughing, etc and he gently comes up to me and puts his hands on my face like he is going to give me a kiss. He then decided, instead, to claw and squeeze my face. I pulled him away, looked him in the eyes made a sad face and then told him "no hitting mommy - that hurts".
His reaction??? Hitting me in the face and then laughing about it for 2 minutes.

He is also always smashing his toys and finds it hysterical to destroy things. My DH doesn't think it is a problem because "he is a typical BOY"

Honestly, I would never tolerate that. I would not even respond to him clawing and sqeezing except to lift him up and put him in time out and tell him he's going to time out for clawing mommy. I think children need to learn that being physical won't even get a warning...automatic time out.

i agree, its an immediate time out in our house.

Re: Is aggression normal in young toddlers?

I agree with Morgan. While yes it is developmentally typical for toddlers to get aggressive it can also be addressed. Cailen started this at nine mts old especially when he was tired or overstimulated. I gave him mini time outs, put him down telling him firmly "no hitting" and come back a few minutes later, model "nice" by rubbing my arm gently and then resume playing. It was very effective for us....