Leo the biter

Leo is a biter. Since he is not in daycare, it hasn't seemed like a huge deal. He either bites me (rarely daddy) or his sister. Poor Carly. She has had way too many imprints of her brother's teeth on her body. But now he is biting other kids. Well, so far, just one kid, but on several occasions. Poor Alex. Now it seems like a big deal. Not that I particularly liked him biting his sister, but I was in charge of both kids. I could punish the biter, comfort the bitten, we could kiss and make-up. I could assess the situation and try to find the reason for the biting - did she do something to provoke him? is it sibling rivalry? are they fighting over my attention?

But when he bites another kid, he's just a biter. I find myself not caring if he was provoked or why he bit. I am just horrified that he did. I've gotten lots of advice on how to handle a biter. So far it's either not working or I haven't had the heart to do it. My mom's advice - bite him back. Apparently it worked on my brother. Maybe my mom or my brother can come over and bite him. I just can't do it. Time outs don't work - he tends to think they are fun, just a new adventure. Showing him what he did, how hurt his sister is, doesn't work. I am embarrassed to say I don't think he cares. Or worse, he laughes. I always remove him from the situation, which technically does work, but that's only because then their is no one around to bite. And I know in another minute or another day, he'll bite again.

So for now, I am skimming the pages of discipline books, looking for answers online, and quizzing every mom I meet. I think it might be my new mom pick up line. "Oh, you have kids? Any biters?"