Question
My two-and-half-year-old daughter Nola is a biter. Sometimes she will go weeks without biting, then suddenly do it again, or slap at me if I push her teeth away. She's been biting since 18 months, it's always horrified me, and I've finally had enough. I tried everything I could think of (even biting her back in the beginning, which I think hurt me more than her, oddly enough). After reading The Well-Behaved Child, I set up a plan yesterday that basically stated that if Nola bit anyone at anytime (or slapped at them or pinched them if they pushed her teeth away), she was to be told the following: "The doctor says that you bite because you aren't getting enough sleep. So if you bite, you have to go to bed right after dinner/bath with no bookies." (She loves, loves books). I started tonight because she bit me at breakfast. We missed an outdoor concert with Grandmas and Grandpa, and, of course, reading books. She was unhappy and pooped all over her crib, but I want to keep doing this and see if it works. Is this all right? I remembered belatedly that John said something about having to wait until age 3 for consequences. Thanks.
