How would you handle this??

Question

My daughter is 10 1/2 months old. She completely changed in a week. She was such a good girl never cried and she always took her naps and ate anything i gave her. Now she screams all day, yells, hits, bites, pulls hair. Won't eat any vegetables at all. She takes one nap a day but is cranky and tired all day because she doesn't sleep long enough. When i feed her and she doesn't like it she spits it at me and laughs or just throws it on the floor. She's mean to everyone that tries to talk to her! It's embarrassing. What do i do? I would think she'd be too little for time out but i never expected her to act like this at that age? It's not her teeth because it's been going on for about 3 weeks already and i'm out of ideas please help!

Answer 1

my son is 14 months and is going through the same thing, it is just a stage. She will geet over it. When she acts up just walk away and ignore her, don't give into her. As for nap time, lay her down for a second nap and walk out of the room, let her cry. I put music on and turned it up a little more than I normally would. MY son cried for 5 minutes or so and fell asleep.

Good luck

Answer 2

Hello.Check her diet to make sure she is only having natural food,no additives,colorings or E numbers.If possible give her only organic food and drink.When she plays up just ignore her,show no reaction and try to side track her with something else.She may like the reaction and attention she gets when she is naughty and it gets to be a vicious cycle.Yes she is too little for time out so just try to distract her and stay calm yourself,it will take a few times to have an effect.

Answer 3

She's not being mean... she's asserting herself. She's learning that certain kinds of behavior gets a certain reaction - and she's trying different kinds out to see what kind of reaction she'll get. If you are 'nicer' and very sweet (coaxing... 'please baby, Mommy wants to go to the store) to her when she gets 'difficult' she thinks she needs to be that way to get attention. When she is 'naughty' like that, just ignore it. If she doesn't want to go into her car seat, then take her out and go back inside. Try again a few minutes later. Don't reward her with attention when she does something naughty. If you ignore the naughty behavior, they stop doing it. That's really all you can do at this stage.

Also, remember that at this age things are being thrown to the floor. She's learning cause and effect. If I throw things out, mommy will pick it up again. It's a game to her, she's not being naughty, and it's an important stage in her development. She'll also spit her food out to see what happens if she does.

Good luck, it's a difficult stage.

Answer 4

You know what, this is what kids do. My son goes through phases like that all of the time and he is now nearly 5! At that age there isn't much you can do apart from say "NO" and be very firm when you say it. Then take away what she's throwing or eating. Take time out yourself for a minute or two (so she knows your not happy) then try again.  

Answer 5

she is 10mos, how can she be mean? she doesnt know what mean is?

she is a baby, she is learning all these new things, she is learning to be naughty. she will go through stages when she is good, and ones where she is mischievious. my daughter is 12mos, and she has her funny moments, naughty moments, vocal moments, the 'lets ignore mummy when mummy says no' moments.

id just try to distract her, play with her, read to her take her out for a walk and show her things - her little mind is so hungry for information!

Answer 6

It sounds like you are really concerned about this.  I think you should talk to your doctor, listen to that mommy voice telling you something is wrong, not to the advice of strangers on the internet.  

Answer 7

wow she is already doing that??? look out for terrible twos!! from saturday night live: go buy a hat and hold the f***k on!

Answer 8

She's at the point where she's getting more strong willed an has an opinion- but has no way of vocalizing it.  She's getting frustrated and understandably so.  

I would say that, yes, she's still too young for time out.  She won't make the connection that her negative behavior is resulting in her "time out".  She doesn't have a grasp on cause/effect yet.  I would suggest trying to speak to her in a normal tone and explain that what she's doing isn't nice (yes, it'll go in one ear and out the other for now- but at some point, she'll start to understand).  Try redirection.  Try explaning "gentle baby" when she's smacking/biting.  Take her hand and rub your face with it gently.  I don't think she's hitting out of spite, she's just learned a new skill...try to teach her to be more gentle.  My 12 month old started the smacking thing a few months ago and it's finally starting to turn into caressing (thank God...  I don't think I could have handled another baby b*tch slap while I'm snuggling with him).

Good luck, mama!  Hope things get better soon.  Terrible twos are just around the corner!