We have a slight problem…
She will freakin’ smack you.
And shake small animals.
And eat small animals.
So…how do we teach her how to be GENTLE!? She’s always smacked things when she gets excited about them. The problem is, now it’s my face she smacks, and animals face she smacks.
I say “NO” when she does it, and she just smiles at me and does it again! I’ve met other babies that just touch and pet lightly…but nobody seems to have an answer on WHY their kid is gentle. They just are. I need this phase to pass before baby 2.0 gets here!!
Tips?
XOXO
birminghambell 
My sis who is well-versed in child development via social work says that at her age it is normal behavior. Demonstrating what gentle is by taking her hand and showing her how to be gentle helps to shift the behavior. She says between age 1 and 2 is when toddlers’ “receptive language” understands and comprehends entire sentences, so she’s still only understanding bits and pieces of what you say. I found a good website on Pintrest about language and speech development you might benefit from: http://www.playingwithwords365.com/2012/10/your-childs-speech-language-12-18-months/
Still waiting for my pregnancy to end and motherhood to begin, so good luck blazin the trail for me 🙂
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I will take her hand and pet the kitty and she looks in awe of what it feels like…then I let go of her hand and she beats it. We need to get a cat helmet for these first 2 years 🙂
LOL! You are too cute. anyway, my elder daughter was a gentle and quiet girl when she was a toddler. But it is the other way around now that she is turning 5 soon! she yells and screams and orders us around.