Again, the absolute best parenting tool I ever had, bar none, was training animals. I had a dog that bit, and bit to draw blood, but other wise was a truly worthwhile pet. My patience was at it's limit when someone suggested biting the animal. Finally, I did!! I bit the dog's ear HARD when he was biting me and only a photo would properly express it's surprise. The dog never bit again.

My 1 1/2 year old son began biting. I remembered the dog, and sat my son down. I told him biting hurts, and this is how it feels. Patiently and calmly, I put his hand in my mouth, maintaining eye contact and bit, teeth showing, ever so slowly, firmly, and gently. He had no idea that I would stop the minute I felt he understood and certainly before leaving marks. Oh, the idea of being bit was worse than the actual sensation! His eyes opened in fear and he tried to pull his hand away, which I would not allow, although the pressure was absolutely minimal. I released his hand (making it my option, not his) and asked him if that hurt, and of course, it did. Immediately he went into my lap for extensive hugging and talking. Can he stop biting others now that he knows how much it hurts (I knew it hadn't hurt but had scared him as he knew perfectly well it hurt when he bit others!) to which he agreed. I spent the remainder of the day making sure that he was secure in my love for him and that the event would be remembered as a lesson, not a trama.

Later, I caught him starting to bite another child, and you could suddenly see the light bulb go off in his head. He immediately stopped biting. You could have heard my sigh of relief across the US.

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