DS wont stop hitting advice needed :(

[nay23]

Hi everyone
My DS is almost 15 months and has just started hitting! He won't stop hitting our dogs, cats his 7 month old nephew and even us! Please tell me its just a phase
How do I stop him? Should I tell him off or try to ignore it? Its driving me crazy and if I say "gently" one more time I think i'm going to go crazy!
Someone help me PLEASE!!!!
Thanks
Take care
xox

[Kazbah]

Our CC provider tells us (when Pip bites!) that the best thing to do is to ignore him - tell him that's naughty, and then ignore him, and give lots of attention to the bitten person.

DH has been giving me lots of cuddles when I screach after being bitten - it seems to work!

Good luck!

[Tyige]

We try to ignore it as well, it seems to work. But DD likes to hit DS because he makes a really amusing screaming sound. Well she seems to find it amusing....

[Beach Mama]

We went through a stage of this too and tried lots of things and the thing that worked was to calmly say something like "no don't hit darling" and to distract her with a book or toy.... It took a little while but by having no response to it, she did end up stopping it. She occasionally tanties now and wll hit a wall or the floor to show she is frustrated but even that we ignore and just distract. Good luck - it can be a trying time. Be patient and consistent too - it took about 2-3 weeks before she really reduced the amount she would do it.

[*charmalea*]

i say no and ignore him , or just ignore him , he will usually hit one more time and find no one is paying attn to him and just walks off ... i often use ignoring as part of "teaching him" i praise him for the good things he does and dont even notice the bad stuff , in time he has ditchted all the annoying things like turn the tv on and off , hit me , throw stuff etc ..

[Kazmar]

Nay23- Tan will remember me in our thread how i asked about this. Annabelle did it and still does it sometimes! I find its when she is frustrated, trying to get her point accross and usually tired!

I ignore it, if Im holding her at the time, I put her down and say "I dont play with those who hit."
She cant understand me but she seem to get the point. She has really stopped doing it as often and only very rarely does it. Its hard for bubs they cant express what they want with "correct" words. So its a frustration thing, not a nasty thing

[nay23]

Thanks guys... that makes me feel better I guess I will just try to ride it out. I know that he is not trying to be mean and most of the time he is not angry I think he just learnt it and wont stop! I think the ignoring idea might work because at the moment we say no and then try to show him how to be gentle by holding his hand and patting softly so maybe it is an attention thing!
Thanks again for your help! I really appreciate it!
Take care
xox