Sibling Rivalry in the Form of Biting

Sibling rivalry is finally rearing it's ugly little head in our home. With twin 20 month old girls, and a nine month old boy, it's definitely a drain to make sure each is getting enough attention. Although Victoria was only born twenty minutes after her sister, Elizabeth, she's already showing symptoms of "the middle child." She get's plenty of attention, and is typically a favorite, but when she doesn't get her way...it's not good.

The issues used to be hitting. Her punishment was usually a hand swat and then a time out. However lately, it's turned into biting. To help you understand the seriousness of the offense, one night when I was taking off her sister's clothing for a bath, I found wounds on her back in the shape of a little mouth.

And her brother doesn't have teeth. And while her father thinks she did it herself, you and I know differently.

So now her punishment is a butt swat. A time out while she watches me coo over whatever other child she has injured. Then she comes back over, has to hug that child. Then we ask "Do we bite?" She shakes her head and says "Unh" (That's no.)

Now because the biting has been getting worse, I've started biting back. Not hard, not even hard enough to leave a mark longer than a couple of minutes. But enough to get my point across.

So now she walks around, looks at me till she get's my attention. She proceeds to act like she's going to bite something, and then shakes her head no. Like she wants me to know she's learned her lesson.

Unfortunately, she still has gotten a few bites in over stolen toys, but it's definitely dissipating!