I was speechless and immediately became very worried. I have always tried to teach him to respect others and take care of things that do not belong to him, but now I wonder if his curiosity is turning into impulsiveness.
I remember that on previous occasions, when he felt frustrated, he had shown tendencies to bite or even hit, although never so indiscriminately. Maybe, seeing the eraser, he was attracted by its shape or texture, and without thinking, he put it in his mouth. This incident made me realize that I need to pay more attention to his emotions and reactions.
Has anyone else experienced something similar? How do you help your little ones manage these impulsive moments?
Omg, that must’ve been so stressful. Kids are wild sometimes! You’re definitely not alone in this
Oh wow, I totally get this! My son was a biter for a while when he was around 3, especially when he got overwhelmed. It was like his emotions were too big for his little body to handle, and biting was his go, to. We worked with his daycare to give him alternative ways to manage frustration, like squeezing a fidget toy or taking deep breaths. Took a while, but eventually, he stopped.
Maybe your little guy was just curious this time, but if he tends to act out when frustrated, it might be good to talk to the daycare about strategies to help him. You got this
Oh man, I feel like toddlers just have this need to put weird stuff in their mouths! My daughter went through a phase where she kept licking the grocery cart handle (I still shudder thinking about it). Do you think it’s just a curiosity thing, or could it be more like a sensory, seeking behavior?
It’s so hard when our kids do something unexpected like this, but I promise it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong! Kids this age are still figuring out impulse control, and they don’t always understand consequences the way we do.
The good news? This is totally something he can grow out of with a little help! Talking about emotions, modeling self, control, and giving him some sensory, friendly alternatives (like a chew necklace or stress ball) might help redirect that urge to bite or chew. It’s a process, but you’re already on the right track by paying attention to his feelings and reactions. Hang in there!
Been there, done that, twice! My oldest used to bite when he was frustrated, and my youngest went through a phase of putting EVERYTHING in his mouth (erasers, coins, even a piece of chalk once). It’s a mix of impulse control and sensory-seeking at this age.
What worked for us:
Lots of reminders about what’s okay to chew on (we had a “chew toy” that was safe for him).
Helping him use words when he felt overwhelmed, simple phrases like l need a break or l feel mad.
Giving him crunchy snacks (carrots, pretzels) when he seemed to have that oral fixation going on.
He eventually grew out of it, but being proactive definitely helped! You got this, mama.