Everyone, especially toddlers, find the change of having a new baby in the family to be challenging.
Depending on how they are managing the circumstance, each toddler will respond to their new baby sibling differently.
Some toddlers could perceive the newborn as a threat, leading them to behave in a hostile manner.
Other toddlers may be so enthralled with the baby that they end up being overly affectionate and hurting the child.
As a result, many parents are aware that toddlers frequently lack impulse control and may inflict harm on their younger siblings either knowingly or unknowingly.
Therefore, my toddler hurts baby on purpose is a common complaint from parents caring for both a newborn and a toddler simultaneously.
To ensure that your baby is safe and your toddler is aware of the wider picture, it’s critical for parents to maintain their composure and take prompt action.
I’ll give you practical advice in this article on how to stop your toddler from purposely hurting your baby and how to handle the stress of caring for a new baby and a toddler at the same time.
What Makes My Toddler Hurts Baby On Purpose?
Oftentimes, toddlers intentionally harm their younger siblings for a variety of reasons.
1. Curiosity and Exploration: Toddlers are still developing their understanding of the world, and it’s possible that they aren’t yet aware of how their activities can harm other people.
2. Attention-seeking Behavior: When a new baby is born, toddlers may feel jealous or excluded and may act out to attract the attention of their parents.
3. Negative Imitation: Toddlers could also mimic adult actions like pushing or hitting, which could cause them to injure the infant.
4. Anxiety and Poor Communication: Anxiety and poor communication abilities can also lead to a toddler injuring their younger sibling. A toddler may use physical acts if they are unable to articulate themselves appropriately.
5. Possession and Jealousy: This can also be factors in a toddler hurting a younger sibling. A toddler may find it difficult to adjust to the birth of a new baby, especially if they are accustomed to being the focus of attention.
They could act out because they think the new baby is stealing their parents’ attention.
Ways My Toddler Hurts Baby On Purpose?
Pushing, hitting, biting, pinching, pulling hair, choking, dropping, and hurling things at your baby are all ways a toddler might harm your infant.
By playing overly rough, toddlers are at risk of unintentionally injuring their younger siblings.
Through one-on-one interaction and positive reinforcement, you can teach your toddlers how to touch the baby gently and behave well.
Any hurtful behavior must be quickly stopped, and your toddler must be made aware of how his actions are harming his baby brother or sister.
What To Do When My Toddler Hurts Baby On Purpose
1. Teach Impulse Control
Toddlers often lack self-control and have difficulty understanding the effects of their behavior.
Teach your child how to control his emotions and actions as he is still learning how to control his impulses. Use straightforward expressions like “gentle hands” or “stop and think.”
2. Show Toddler What He Can Do With Baby
When toddlers try to interact with your baby but don’t know how to do it well, they sometimes hurt the baby.
Show your toddler some of the appropriate behaviors he can use when interacting with his baby sister or brother.
Your toddler should be shown how to play with the baby’s feet or how to allow the baby to hold onto his hand.
3. Define What Hurting Means to a Toddler
You might be saying things like, “Don’t hit the baby,” “Stop poking the baby’s eyes,” or similar things, but your toddler might hear those words and be confused.
You may consider those to be common sense, but a child is still figuring out what is right and wrong in this world.
The fact that kids are still acquiring social skills must be kept in mind. Teach your toddler why it is wrong to harm a baby. What can it do to the baby?
Create a connection for him. Explain that this is what he is doing to his baby by bringing up a moment when your baby was hurt.
Additionally, let your toddler know how much you still adore him! He could occasionally be unable to comprehend that you can love both children equally.
Therefore, you must demonstrate to your toddler that just because there is a new baby, your love for him has not changed.
4. Quality Time
The loss of bonding time with parents is among the most difficult aspects of becoming a big brother or sister for a toddler.
That period is very challenging. Keep spending time with your toddler.
Try to carry on doing the same things you did before your baby was born. You’ll need to modify your schedule, but be careful to avoid making drastic changes all at once.
Bring your child into the new routine gradually. A toddler will almost always get dissatisfied and overburdened if the bandage of change is removed at once.
You can’t expect a one-, two-, or three-year-old kid to cope with a lot of change overnight as most people don’t even deal with it well.
5. Give Your Toddler a Break Away From the Baby
Your toddler must take a break. Allow your kid to experience being the only kid for a short while.
It’s time for you to take your child outside. Where you go doesn’t even matter.
Even a stroll through the neighborhood is acceptable. Toddlers require the assurance that they are remembered.
They must receive some alone time because it is what they have become accustomed to.
6. Continue To Give Hugs
Especially in the first few months of life, newborns have a lot of needs.
Don’t let the newborn’s neediness negatively affect your interaction with your toddler.
Include your young child in the cuddles. Don’t merely cuddle your toddler after the baby has fallen asleep.
Your toddler will become resentful when the baby is awake if you just cuddle and pay attention to him when the baby is asleep.
7. Carry Your Toddler Along
Every time you do something with the baby, involve your toddler.
When you are changing diapers, nursing, bathing, choosing the baby’s outfit, or getting the diaper bag ready, find a job for your toddler to do.
The desire to assist is so strong when children are at this age. Your toddler will begin to feel responsible for his baby brother or sister if he is assisting.
8. Protect Your Baby
Keeping both of your kids safe should be your top responsibility.
Set up safeguards to prevent your toddler from actually harming your infant, whether purposefully or unintentionally, if they are unwilling to establish a safe and responsible relationship with the baby.
Never leave your toddler alone with the newborn. for one To prevent the toddler from entering the baby’s room unattended, install a toddler safety lock on the door.
To prevent their toddler from tossing toys onto the baby, many parents have found it beneficial to place their infant in a pack n’ play and then cover the top with a fitted sheet.
To prevent the toddler from hurting the infant, other parents have purchased child gates to enclose the bassinet or bouncer.
What Steps To Take When My Baby Is Hurt By Toddler On Purpose
1. Fill His Emotional Tank
It’s no secret that infants can be incredibly demanding.
Many mothers may feel like they haven’t even had a second to themselves between feeding, changing, and generally keeping them happy, let alone time to play with their older child.
Your toddlers need you, therefore you need to make time for them.
They wish they were the ones snoozing next to their parents and receiving constant care and attention.
Spend some time with your older child alone, using the resources you have at your disposal.
Even only 15 minutes of uninterrupted, deliberate presence, repeated twice a day, can have a profound impact.
This time helps your child fill up his emotional tank so that he is not already depleted when the newborn needs you and reassures him that he is still just as loved as he was before to the new arrival.
2. Create an Effective Plans
Don’t put your toddler in a setting where he can’t be left alone without hurting the infant.
It won’t last forever, especially if you follow the advice above, but expecting your toddler to exercise self-control will only make everyone frustrated.
Once you gain confidence, you can practice leaving your toddler for brief periods. When you return, be sure to compliment him on how well he took care of the baby.
Growing those proud big sibling feelings rather than those of resentment can be facilitated by using your toddler as a cooperative collaborator in the care of his younger sibling.
3. Exhibit Empathy
Okay, so planning is excellent, but what should you do when your toddler injures your baby?
Before responding to him, take a moment to calm yourself down.
Instead of talking to your older child, you should first contact your hurt baby. Pick up your baby and reassure him that you are aware of his pains.
Offer comfort to your baby by acknowledging his feelings while speaking in a soothing tone.
This diverts attention from your toddler so that he is not receiving it negatively for his behavior, but it also serves as a role model for the behavior you want to encourage in your toddler: feelings of love and empathy for his baby brother or sister.
Your focus should be solely on the baby and ensuring the baby’s safety. This is not about speaking sharply to make your child feel ashamed.
Your toddler will have a short period to consider his actions thanks to modeling and patience.
In contrast, your toddler would go on the defensive right away and would likely react with his own breakdown if you came into the scenario yelling and shouting.
4. Practice Effective Teaching
Your toddler is likely to be experiencing a range of emotions after hurting the infant.
Even a very young child will be aware on some level of having done something improper, and he will naturally be wary of your response.
Keep the message brief and straightforward for a toddler, under two.
This method of instruction gives the kid the chance to develop into a “better version” of himself. He benefits from concentrating on reading his siblings’ indications and considering them as potential playmates rather than rivals.
Don’t impose being kind if the child doesn’t want to at that particular time; instead, be satisfied that you’ve modeled it and move on to the next activity of the day.
For the foreseeable future, it might be effective to remain nearby, especially if you can see that your child is still on edge.
How Can I Train Toddlers to Treat My Baby Gently When My Toddler Hurts Baby On Purpose?
Use positive reinforcement and set a good example for your toddler when handling your baby to encourage gentle behavior.
Engage your toddler in baby care while closely monitoring his interactions.
Showing him how to speak softly and touch gently will help your toddler learn how to be kind to the newborn.
What Can I Do To Stop My Toddler From Pushing My Baby?
To keep the newborn safe, you must act quickly if your toddler is pushing the baby.
Show your toddler other ways to express his emotions and teach him that pushing is unacceptable.
To assist your toddler adjust to the new baby, consider rewarding excellent behavior and using positive reinforcement.
Conclusion
A new baby may be a big deal for the family, especially for toddlers who are still learning to regulate their desires.
It may take some time for toddlers to learn how to connect with the infant safely and acceptably because they are still learning and developing.
Instead of complaining that my toddler hurts the baby on purpose, teach your toddler what is expected.
You can help to ensure that your baby is secure and that your toddler develops excellent interactions with his smaller sibling by giving supervision, teaching gentle hands, rewarding good conduct, and implementing appropriate consequences when necessary.
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