Issue with Biting Other Kids...Help!!!

Another way to look at it...

In general, a policy of removing a child for a developmentally appropriate/common issue is not good for any child--- removing a biter from that day care just pushes that child into a different day care where the victims are different but the child keeps biting. Whether or not the biter is the child of the day care provider, the thing I think you need to look at is what is being done about the behavior.(I'm not familiar with the bracelet you mentioned---???) You can pull your child out of that day care and she can end up being biten by a different child at a different center. If the center where she is now is otherwise a wonderful place, and you feel in your heart that they are doing everything they can behavior-wise to deal with the problem (and just as importantly, to console and medically take care of the children who are bit), I think that's what you should base your decision on as far as if you should stay. My daughter was bit in pre-school years ago-- we LOVED everything about the school, but we were sooooooooooooo upset over her being bit. My husband asked what was being done to ensure that our daughter would not be bit again, and at first the attitude was "there is no way to guarantee that a child will not be bit by another child- it's a risk you take when you put your kids in day care-- the only way to keep from being bit is if she wears armor"... Once we got past that attitude (there was a big meeting and lots of apologies for that obnoxious response), we were able to discuss the disciplinary actions taken and the medical care given to the bite area (washed with soap and water and ice applied), we were able to have a clear head about it and kept our daughter in the day care we loved so much.

I am on the other end of your problem and my daughter is doing the biting in her daycare right now. She has recently been moved into the one year old room where she started this behavior for whatever reason. I understand your concerns, I feel really really bad for the kids my daughter has bit. I am reassured daily by the staff that this is very normal and common behavior and that they experience this in this age group frequently because of teething and frustration.

I am a physician and it is true that a human bite has a higher infectious potential than a dog bite. So if the skin is broken antibitotics are definitely necessary.

Hopefully the child doing the biting in your daycare will quickly get over this stage, as I hope my daughter will. For now the teacher's are keeping close tabs on her and the behavior is prevented from occuring until she gets over this.

I am not sure this will help you but I thought hearing from "the other side" coud help in some way.

You are right about wanting to take your child out.

Did you try talking to the owners and explain why you are taking your child out? If they are really understanding they may wave the 2 week notice OR remove the other child.

I had this problem with my son and left him in the class while they tried to correct the problem (the child doing the biting/hitting/scratching was the son of one of the teachers), they FINALLY told the mother the little boy could no longer attend and she quit. Anyway, my son was still having issues with the program, he couldn't get past the fact that this had happened to him and began being aggressive toward the other children. I finally pulled him out and after a few weeks at home he was back to his old self and the aggressive behavior faded. He still talks about what happened to him when we drive by the school.

Your child is much better off being out of the program if they are not going to remove the other child. While it is probably a financial problem to have to pay both for the two weeks be glad to get out before something really bad happens to your child.

Beb, the owners are required by law to remove a biter after 3 strikes.
if they havem't done so they have not obeyed the regulations. if they aren't following the regulations they need to let you off without notice. go in and talk to them. tell them you understand it's their child but that child is a danger to otehr kids.
human bite is worse than animal bite from all the germs that are in the human mouth.
i would not let my child around those kids. there is a problem and you can adress it by removing your son from that situation.
good luck
V.

I agree...take your baby out, giving the center both verbal and written reasons. Send a copy of the reasons with the state and Better Biz...and allow the center to file a suit against you for the 2 weeks of monies due. They are breaking their own contract...you know, the one that they state they are taking care of ALL the kids.....if they are fudging here ...they are fudging everywhere...trust me, I have been thru simular issues. I nearly lost my son because I didn't speak up fast enough!

I work as a substitue in a day care. I am there just for reasons like this. First and Foremost if you feel that your childs' safety or health is indangered, you as a parent have the right and duty to do what you need to do to fix the problem. The fact is during this stage of developement this does happen. Mostly the lack of comunication skills the toddler has makes them go to this level to get your attention. Usually this will happen when an aggressive child and a passive child are fighting over an item. If the children are properly supervised it will cut this down by 90%. Toddlers rarely just walk up to another child and bite them. There is usually a reason for this behavior. And there are different levels of consequences that each center has for this behavior. I have never heard of this bracelet that you are speaking of. What is it supposed to do? The first is usually a time out. Then they are watched to see what is causing it. If this is an isolated insident. I would not worry that much about it. If it is happening alot then I would definatly look for another center. Even if the other child is removed chances are your child will not feel safe there any more and that is not what you want eithier. Usually after the third insident someone else is called in to watch the offender for a period of time to get the behavior under control. Usually the parents of the child that is having this continued aggresive behavior is charged to pay the fee. This will usually get their attention that this is not exceptable. And this weekly fee is charged at minimum wage. This will get the parents to help and reinforce this change of behavior at home. This fee will not be covered by any state agency that the paent is recieving to assist for the payment for the center. There are other circumstances if the child is delayed that will cause this. And in those cases this is not a resulation for this. They need to be in another center all together that can deal better with this. Oh if the bite has broken the skin they are REQURIED to contact you IMMEDIATLY!!! And you need to take your child to their doctor.

I would definately pull my child out because obviously this child still ahs a biting problem and your child should not suffer from this. You can even e-mail problem solvers from channel 6 news and they will investigate the problem further for you. This needs to stop for your case and other children in the future as well.

Here is the web site:

http://www.local6.com/index.html

You shoudn't have to pay the day care because they are at fault. Ask the day care if they can waive that for you.....you never know unless you ask. Be firm about it and don't give in to their excuses. Good luck.

S.