Biting peaks between 18 months and 3 years — precisely the age range when children are in home daycare settings. It's not a character flaw or bad parenting. It's a developmental behaviour rooted in limited language, overwhelming sensation, and an underdeveloped ability to regulate strong feelings.
Children bite for different reasons: excitement and sensory overwhelm, frustration when they can't express what they want, a desire for connection or reaction, or simply because biting feels satisfying when they are teething or sensory-seeking.
The response to biting should be immediate, calm, and brief. Attend first to the child who was bitten — this removes the attention reward from the biter. A simple, firm 'We don't bite. Biting hurts.' delivered without emotion is more effective than lengthy lectures or dramatic reactions.
Do not bite back. It doesn't teach the lesson parents think it does — it models aggression and can damage the child's sense of safety.
For repeat biters, look at patterns. Does it happen at specific times of day? During particular activities? These clues reveal what the child is trying to communicate and allow you to preemptively address the need.
Increasing language — giving children words for their feelings — is the single most effective long-term strategy. As vocabulary grows, biting typically decreases.