24 month old who playfully hits/kicks

[Mokek Kwe]

I've really only noticed that she does it to me or to DH. In play, sometimes with mild rough-house play (her getting on top of us for "horse rides", tickling, that kind of stuff), sometimes she'll get excited and use the palms of her hands to hit DH in the face, or to kick at either of us really hard. The kicking hurts, but she's not trying to hurt us. She's smiling and laughing, and I think she just doesn't understand that her body is strong enough to hurt us. :shrug3

I've tried the "we don't use our feet to kick people. we can kick a ball, or stomp on the ground." and "that isn't how we use our hands, we can hug or love on someone with our hands." (after she accidentally hits, she does "pet" Daddy, usually on his face, as a way of saying she's sorry. We've always just modeled using hands gently in that way, along with saying, "Love Daddy". The kicking thing is a little more difficult for us to handle.

And to be sure that my expectations are realistic, is this something she's going to just keep on doing, and I'll just have to keep redirecting her (like how I encourage her to "make things right" with dad?) and wait for it to all pass?

Thanks in advance. :)

[bec28]

:popcorn

[magpiedpiper]

My 26 month old has been doing the same thing for a few months now. She is playing, and perhaps just isn't thinking but letting her body react instead. She used to not understand why we didn't like it, but most of the time now she immediately looks concerned and does her "Oh no!" noise and hands to her head. We'll tell her that hitting/kicking hurts and ask her to sign 'sorry' and give us a hug. I'm not sure how that works long term obviously, but I think she is at least starting to realize that it isn't okay. It took a little while - maybe just keep doing what you are doing? :hug2

[mountainash]

Our solution to that was to teach our kids to give high fives. We also have thumb wars.

Maybe when she wants to kick you could get a couch cushion and have a little karate practice. :giggle

[Mokek Kwe]

That's a great idea, Ashley, thank you!

[Sparrow]

and she'll outgrow it too! Brendan would playfully hit and tackle other kids. With a lot of redirecting, and teaching gentle touch he's out of it. It was a 6 month-ish phase. He still tackles his brother, but they tackle eachother and roll around and stuff all the time, and we try to have a special place for it.... and NOT in line for the grocery store!! :shifty

[MarynMunchkins]

I redirect to other things. High 5 is great. :yes

When he hits though, I'd use less words. "Ow. Be gentle." My 2 yo has the attention span of a gnat for anything that's not Thomas. ;)