How to React if Your Young Child Hits You
Remain calm., Tell them to stop., Block the child’s hand., Remove them from the situation.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Remain calm.
You might be feeling a range of emotions when a child hits you, such as anger or sadness.
It is important that you remain calm at all times.
An explosive reaction may only teach the child that anger is the proper way to respond when someone upsets you.It is also important to remove the child from the situation or to remove yourself from the situation.
If you find it difficult to calm down, excuse yourself for a minute.
Tell the child calmly but firmly, “That made me very sad, and now I need a minute to myself.” Go into a bathroom or separate room to calm down.Try breathing deeply while counting to ten or squeezing a stress ball to help you calm down.
Avoid giving the child too much attention. -
Step 2: Tell them to stop.
Be firm but gentle when you tell to stop.
They need to know what they did was wrong, but you should not yell or scream at them.
Even if the child is a toddler, you should tell them to stop.
You can say, “Do not hit me again! It hurts me.” You might also say, “It is not right to ever hit someone, no matter how mad you are.” , If the child tries hitting you again, block their hand with your own.
If you must, gently take their hand in yours to prevent them from hitting you again.
You may also want to try walking a few feet away from the child so that they cannot reach you.
This helps make the point that what they did was wrong.Be gentle as you do this.
Hold their hand but do not wrench it away or squeeze it. , If the child won’t calm down, they may need to go into time-out.
Remove them from the room or situation that is causing their tantrum.
Let them relax in a separate area.
Do not let them leave until they have calmed down. -
Step 3: Block the child’s hand.
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Step 4: Remove them from the situation.
Detailed Guide
You might be feeling a range of emotions when a child hits you, such as anger or sadness.
It is important that you remain calm at all times.
An explosive reaction may only teach the child that anger is the proper way to respond when someone upsets you.It is also important to remove the child from the situation or to remove yourself from the situation.
If you find it difficult to calm down, excuse yourself for a minute.
Tell the child calmly but firmly, “That made me very sad, and now I need a minute to myself.” Go into a bathroom or separate room to calm down.Try breathing deeply while counting to ten or squeezing a stress ball to help you calm down.
Avoid giving the child too much attention.
Be firm but gentle when you tell to stop.
They need to know what they did was wrong, but you should not yell or scream at them.
Even if the child is a toddler, you should tell them to stop.
You can say, “Do not hit me again! It hurts me.” You might also say, “It is not right to ever hit someone, no matter how mad you are.” , If the child tries hitting you again, block their hand with your own.
If you must, gently take their hand in yours to prevent them from hitting you again.
You may also want to try walking a few feet away from the child so that they cannot reach you.
This helps make the point that what they did was wrong.Be gentle as you do this.
Hold their hand but do not wrench it away or squeeze it. , If the child won’t calm down, they may need to go into time-out.
Remove them from the room or situation that is causing their tantrum.
Let them relax in a separate area.
Do not let them leave until they have calmed down.
About the Author
Diana Garcia
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow DIY projects tutorials.
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