Thread: Biting! AUGH!
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Holladee 10:49 AM 09-19-2011
(This got super long - kudos if you get through it!)

I opened my very small in-home daycare on August 22nd. (I have done in-home before in a different city with up to 8 kids).

This time I have teacher's kids only and right now only have two children. I am able to have up to five, but I am due with my second child (first is in Kindy) in October so two is a great number for this school year.

I have two kids, H and E. One turned two in July and one turned two last week.

The kids have been really great and things are going well. However, last week on Tuesday H bit E....hard. He broke the skin. Up until this point there had been no aggression whatsoever. I was hoping for a fluke bite, but on Thursday, he bit again. I was sitting two feet away and he still managed to bite her hard enough to almost break the skin.

After the first bite, dad picked up E. He obviously wasn't pleased, but did okay with the info.

Two days later when he bit her again, I emailed both mom and dad to give them a heads up, to let them know I was taking the biting seriously, and to let them know what my plans were to try and prevent future bites. Dad was pissed, but mom picked up and was very understanding. On Friday, I was basically on top of H all day to make sure to intercept any bite attempts. I figured out a safe way to gate off part of the play area so that when I prepped lunch I was able to separate the two. Friday was bite free.

Today I was doing the same. Shadowing H and making sure to keep a close eye. When we were outside they were both at the top of the slide (little play area on top). I was standing there and E tried to go in front of H on the slide. In a split second he leaned down to bite. I intercepted, but he did get her. No teeth marks, but a red ring. AUGH.

I feel like E's parents are going to think I'm not supervising closely enough and that's just not the case. I was RIGHT there and it still happens.

I've dealt with biters before. In my last home daycare I ended up terming a biter, but this was after months of issues. I've also dealt with biters as a daycare center director and really have come to the conclusion that there isn't a cure-all for biting. Most of the time it seems to run its course and then stop.

I have been reprimading H for biting and he sits in time out. He only turned two a week ago so I have no idea if he's "getting it" or not.

I'm dreading pick up again. I just don't know how long E's parents are going to tolerate this before getting upset and leaving or wanting me to term H. The biggest issue with all of this is that both E and H's moms are teachers- in fact they teach the same grade and their classrooms are right next door to eachother. Add to that that my daughter is in Kindyy and may have one of them for a teacher next year. I really don't want to burn any bridges very badly!

If you got through this, thank you! I rambled. Any tips for the biter, or tips for talking to both parents? I'm at a loss of what to do at this point.

Thanks for your help!
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