hair/glasses/hat snatching and pulling

Hi,

Just checking if any of you have had any success with nipping these behaviours in the butt. Isabella is 3 and in the most part a dream and an absolute delight. But she has always had a thing for hair, glasses and hats and will just grab at them. I've had some success with redirecting (ie 'gentle' for hair, 'stays there' for glasses and hats) but it's still an issue - esp as I now also have an 18 month old and a new born so am not always close enough for stop it in time. I'm also losing my patience and she looks so sad when I tell her off - which I try and avoid though even I have my limits!

Like I said, she is mostly an absolute delight - but I am finding this stuff particularly frustrating. She is a very clever, gentle girl otherwise.

Any advice welcome

Di - mum to Isabella 27.1.05

I wish I had some advice Di, unfortunately, I've been feeling very much lately that I have no behaviour management skills whatsoever! All I can say is "I know what you're going through". It just gets trickier and tricker with more kids hehehe (she laughs nervously lol). Have you mentioned it to your Child Health Nurse? She may have some good ideas?

Cas

Oh how I wish there was a simple answer to that problem!
Lachlan loves hair! The only problem is that it attached to someone elses head! The OT etc tell me that it is a sensory need, it feels good so they do it and then they forgot themselves and give it a pull (they don't realise that it actually hurts the other person)
We continually tell Lochie to use his gentle hands and then praise him over the top when he doesn't pull, if he pulls the hair we send him to the corner and tell him No Pulling Hair.
GOOD LUCK!

Kath )
Proud mum to
Mathew 18, Caitlin 17, Michael 13, Lachlan 3 ds and Grace 19mths ds

and a newborn??? Congratulations - you have been busy! No idea on the behaviours though - Hannah loves those things too - and my earrings but she is pretty gentle and really only does it to Phil and I so I haven't had to worry about it - she doesn't do it as much anymore either.

Ciara used to do it but has outgrown it- I used to do the redirecting thing as well and eventually she just stopped. Now I just have Lia constantly pulling my hair... I'll give her a few more months to get over it though

Hi Di,

What worked with Emily was a combination of things: When Emily would pull hair or pull hats off, all children in day care would stand up, put their hand up, say stop and walk away. Emily also had story books which showed it made children sad when she would pull their hair and hats off and I noticed that when I explained that she had to be nice to babies, it worked. Distracting and just doing something else is the most difficult one, but it takes away the attention given, so there is no point doing it anymore. I know.......it's all easier said than done.