@kendraworth: Here's exactly what I do when it my 25 MO toddler tries to hit: 1️⃣ I gently hold her arms. Calm voice, no yelling. I'm not punishing her, I'm just not letting her hit. 2️⃣ I redirect: "Hands by your side." That gives her something she CAN do with her body instead of telling her what she CAN’T do (negative directions are very confusing for toddlers) 3️⃣ I figure out what she actually wants. Hitting is almost always communication frustration because toddlers don't have the words or the impulse control yet, so their hands go flying. 4️⃣ I show her the better way: "Can you ask me nicely? Say _____” 5️⃣ When she asks nicely, she gets her objective. That's how she learns asking nicely works and hitting doesn't. 6️⃣ Then, once she's calm, we practice gentle hands, and I go ALL OUT. Screaming, cheering, giving her the biggest reaction you've ever seen Here's why that last part matters so much: a lot of the time, kids hit because they're looking for a big reaction. So I reverse it. The boring, calm response goes to the hitting. The huge, exciting reaction goes to the gentle hands. This won't fix it in one day. You'll probably do this 100 times. But every rep is teaching her brain a new pathway, and that's my whole goal. I did the same thing with my older girls who are now 4 & 6 and they NEVER hit and are so emotionally regulated for their age. Save this for the next time those little hands start swinging! #toddlerbehavior #gentleparenting #toddlerhitting #creatorsearchinsights #realityofbeingamom toddler hitting how to stop toddler hitting toddler hits mom what to do when toddler hits gentle parenting toddler toddler behavior tips toddler tantrums positive reinforcement toddler gentle hands 2 year old hitting toddler aggression Kendra worth viral toddler

Kendra | baby & toddler expert

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Thursday 05 November 2026 19:35:27 GMT