Nov. 7, 2023

When Kids Get Aggressive

When Kids Get Aggressive

When it’s your kid doing the hitting at daycare, it’s hard not to freak out. But toddler aggression doesn’t mean your kid is destined for a life of crime. Here’s why kids get aggressive and how to handle it– whether you’re there to see it or not.

Sometimes little kids lack the ability to express their frustration, fear, and anger in words. That’s usually when they decide to whack the other 3-year-old with the toy dump truck, instead of pleasantly sharing. 

Experts say aggression often gets a little better once kids can express themselves verbally– although not always, if what goes on in our houses is any indication. 

In this episode we discuss how to handle our kids becoming aggressive when we’re there to witness it, when we’re *not* there to witness it (like at preschool), and what clear, consistent messaging we need to model to move things in a more peaceful direction. 


Here are links to some writing on the topic that we discuss in this episode: 

Emily Fromm and Nicole Harris for Parents: How to Handle Aggressive Toddler Behavior

Emily Edlynn, Ph.D for Parents: My Child Won't Stop Hitting Other Children at Daycare

Laura Markham for Psychology Today: 10 Steps to Stop Your Child from Hitting Other Kids


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