My DS is very touchy feely, he loves people and goes to anyone and will asked to be carried, and kiss them. He's not shy and likes going to other children to play. He also likes climbing onto anyone if they are sitting down with him.
My worry is that he's the same with other babies, he'll crawl towards them and hold on to them, pull himself up holding them, grab them, kiss them etc.
He's not wanting to hurt them, but he doesn't know he's being rough and that it can hurt the babies and they may not like it. He just wants to play.
I do tell him to be gentle when he grabs other babies and that it'll hurt them and pull him away when i see the babies not liking it.
How do I make him realise that babies are soft and sensitive and aren't like adults. I dont want him to stop being affectionate, but for him to realise he needs to be gentle.
He's only 10mths...
Aw, he sounds adorable. TBH, I don't think you can explain such things to really little ones. It's just a good idea to keep an eye out and try to avoid accidents and upsets.
DD was always the opposite, and hated people (especially other babies) touching her. *Shrug* it is just their personalities, IMO.
Having said that, like Rach said, I've found the word 'gentle' to be effective if used consistently (though for my DD this is more about adults rather than babies - she has been through many smacking phases and is now going through a kicking one Though she is older now, so I do explain that we don't kick because it hurts people etc etc.)
Good luck, and as I said, he just sounds like a lovely sociable boy. He'll understand boundaries soon enough, I think.
I'm with the others...I think all you can really do is exactly what you are doing. He will understand it with time He sounds like a beautiful little man. to you for being observant and letting him know. I see all too many parents NOT letting kids know these things.
Izzy is 18mths and is still pretty full on with other babies and kids. We very gently stroke her face and say "gentle" and thats what she does now with James in between lying on top of him and hugging him! It has taken a while for her to realise how to be gentle with others. I read somewhere that they don't understand that what they do hurts others, like if they hit, they don't really get it, so it does take a while to teach them. At our mothers group - they are all the same!! Most other mums understand that they dont do things deliberately and they are jsut learning as they play! Sounds like what you are doing is great and he sounds like a friendly gorgeous little man!
Last edited by Beach Mama; December 17th, 2008 at 01:46 PM.
: Huggging/hitting =HIGGING - new word maybe I should leave it!
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10month old's touchy feely
Though she is older now, so I do explain that we don't kick because it hurts people etc etc.)
to you for being observant and letting him know. I see all too many parents NOT letting kids know these things.
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