A biting toddler at daycare?

Question

What's the best approach to take with the daycare my child attends regarding a toddler that constantly bites other toddlers? It's getting out of hand! My daughter got bitten twice last week (lots of other kids too!)

When my daughter pointed out the culprit...he's the cutest little boy....at least 4-5 inches shorter than her! Should I tell her to defend herself? Tell a teacher (it's too late once she does...this kid is quick!)? What would you do?

Answer 1

Tell the daycare owner or director.  My children's daycare has a policy that if the biter doesn't learn to stop biting, the kid gets booted out of daycare.  If anything, tell your daughter to stay away from him if she can.

That being said, many kids go through a biting stage.  How its handled, by the daycare and by the parents is what will get this over with quickly.  My daughter bit another kid on the nose last week.  A few months ago, another kid bit a different kid on the forehead.  I tell ya, its a kid eat kid world out there!

Answer 2

I would speak to the director of the day care and find out why they are allowing this child to continue biting and if his parents can't get him to stop why he is still in the day care.  The human mouth carries all kinds of bacteria and any child that has been bitten it should be advised when parents arrive that the child be seen by a doctor just as a precation.  A child should be seen by a doctor if the bite marks remain, if the bite has broken through skin it is IMPERATIVE the child be seen by a doctor because this can cause infection.  One of the bacteria carried in the human mouth is staph bacteria, which is the bacteria which causes the "flesh eating" disease.  If the director gives you excuses or lip service I suggest removing your child from that daycare.

Answer 3

the director needs to talk with the parents immediately! after biting your child twice that child should be kept home till its addressed! as much as day care is i want my son back the same way i dropped him off!!!!!!!

my older son went thru a biting phase and the only way to make him stop way for me to bite him back and show him what it felt like and then he stopped!  but thats for his parents to work out!

Answer 4

Tell the teacher immediately so that he can't bite others.  I don't care how cute he is.

If the teacher doesn't handle then go to the director.

Answer 5

Put a muzzle on him. ^_^

Answer 6

I'd bring it up with the director. I know at the day cares I worked at before the children's parents would get a few verbal warnings, then if it continued they would have to leave work and pick their child up for the day, and after that they were removed from the day care.

Just tell the director you're not only concerned for your daughter's safety but for those other children as well. He/She may not be aware that the biting is going on constantly. I don't know how aggressive you are but I would seriously tell them I have no problems removing my child from their care if they cannot resolve the issue.

Answer 7

My son has not bitten a child in school, but he HAS been bitten several times.

One of the children who bit him is a smaller girl. My son LOVES her and he is a hugger, so he came up behind her and put his arms around her and she bit him. Their teacher believes she bit him because there is a larger child who's mother lets him watch wrestling on TV. This larger child pretty much tortures the other kids. I was there for a party and saw him (with my own eyes) push another girl down and then jump/sit on the ground next to her while "elbowing" her in the back (just like the wrestlers)! I couldn't believe it. The teacher said she had spoken to the mother several times, but hadn't gotten anywhere. The mother was upset because the other kids were biting him (in self-defense) and they explained to her they could only do so much because of HIS behavior.

Although, I COMPLETELY understand how upset you may be over this child, think you should investigate this more before you draw conclusions. There may be more to the story. The fact that the boy who bit you daughter is smaller could be significant. There may be another child who is being mean to this boy and he is "gun shy" and scared so he reacts with biting.

IF none of that is the case, you need to talk to the director about what steps they are going to take going forward concerning the disenrollment of the child. OR moving the child to a class with smaller, less agressive children to see how he reacts.

If they refuse to do anything and he bites her again. I'd be ready to take my daughter OUT ASAP. AND I'd complain to the state and the Better Business Bureau.

Good luck and best wishes.

Answer 8

complain!! and tell all the other parents to complain to!! (if they're children have been bitten or not)

they'll have to do something about it, if they don't tell them your taking your kid somewhere else for his/her protection (+ tell the other parents to say the same)

Answer 9

a couple of weeks ago , while giving my 14 month old son his bath i noticed a sore onhis back . day care didnt tell me about it, so when i took him back on that monday i asked the lady down there what happened . did he fall against something or what. she tells me that one of the kids bit him . i had to ask her twice which one . finally she told me . later in the afternoon ,picking him up , the other mother was there . i aproached her and told she needs to teach her child not to bite other kids b/c the next time it happened i was going to knock her teeth out of her head.  hasnt happened since . good luck !!

Answer 10

i would tell the day care that they need to contact the child parents, and if they have before they need to do it again.  there must be some kind of rule that would enforce a safe environment- if one child is unjuring other children, he needs to be moved somewhere else. if they wont do anything, make it a point to meet his parents when they pick him up, and explain to them that you have talked to the school and they didnt do anything so for your childs safety you have to take matters into your own hands.  maybe the day care has neglected to even mention it to his parents!

Answer 11

tell the teacher that he is biting your kid and others. if your kid has the bite marks show her as proof. be careful if you tell tour kid to defend herself because daycares can be intolerant and kick her out. believe me i know a kid who got kicked out for defending himself.

Answer 12

Tell the techer. And he will have to get put in time out. Or tell her to fight back if he does it do it back!

Answer 13

I would talk to the teacher about how they handle the situation. I know that when my co-worker's daughter was bitten at daycare, the teacher immediately called her. They couldn't give a name (some legal reason) but told her.

I don't think that you should tell your daughter to defend herself. I don't know her age, but that aggression would probably reward the biter by giving him negative attention. There should be an agreement w/ the teacher that when and if she is bitten, she immediately tells the teacher, and the boy gets a time out.

If I were the teacher, that child would get a time out every time he bites, and his parents should be notified as well.

Answer 14

I believe you should contact the owner/director of the day care and explain the situation. They should have policies in place to protect the kids, parents and the day care, when this occurs, and it does quite often. They must contact the parents of the offending child and have them correct the problem or expel the child. I wouldn't want my kid bit. The parents must be responsible.

Answer 15

First of all I would call the teacher/principle and discuss the issue.

Also look at your contract or R & R's.  What does it say regarding this type of behavior.  I know the Daycare my nephew goes to - it states that if they bite or become violent more than so many times - they get suspended or expelled from the school.  

But if your teacher/principle doesn't do anything - I personally would wait after school for the mom or dad to pick this child up and talk to them (not beat them up) about the problem.

Answer 16

first off i'd probably try giving him something safe and nice to chew on, maybe a dummy or something bigger, and if he doesn't like that or continues to bite either tell the teacher or his mum....that's the only way! :)