# hair pulling and toddler



## MommytoHHH (Sep 12, 2006)

Can someone please tell me how I can teach my toddler not to pull my hair? I have tried telling her "Ow. That hurts Mommy. Please don't pull mommy's hair." But I am really at my wits end. I mean REALLY at my wits end. She HAS to learn that it is not ok to rip my hair out. Right now she just thinks it's funny and I just can't take it anymore. Can someone please help me?


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## S.Lee (Jan 27, 2007)

subbing!! I tried to get him to pet my head, Like he does with the dog. No luck- still pulling!


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## LoveMyJonah (Sep 11, 2006)

The only thing that worked for us was repetition. And she may regress from time to time, too. Just keep telling her that it hurts and its not nice. And don't react too dramatically, that's what they want out of us!


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## bdoody11 (Aug 16, 2005)

I do what you do, saying "that hurts mommy, gentle touch". It really doesn't work all that well, but I'm hoping it will sink in. If she doesn't stop, I will put her down (if it's possible). A re-direction of sorts. Of course, this isn't always feasible, but it worked well when I was teaching her not to bite during nursing.


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## MommytoHHH (Sep 12, 2006)

I have long hair, so she does it when I'm sitting on the ground folding laundry, or when she's sitting in my lap, or at night in bed. Just telling her it hurts is not working - there has to be some solution other than shaving my head. This is *REALLY* bothering me.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

I kept my hair in ponytails or buns when my kids were little. It's harder to pull hair when the hair isn't loose and free and "available" for pulling.


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## eepster (Sep 20, 2006)

When DS is hurting me I start with "please don't do that it hurts mommy." If it continues I warn him "id you keep doing X mommy will have to stop (whatever we are doing) and go over there." If it continues I say "ok, mommy can't take this anymore" and I get up and go somewhere that he can't reach me to hurt me, but can still talk to me and see me so he knows I haven't abandoned him.

If it is very sudden painful and comes without warning, like suddenly biting down hard on a nipple, I explain to him (after I have finished screaming) "mommy needs time to recover so we have to take a break from (whatever we are doing) and let's do something else till mommy feels better."


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## prothyraia (Feb 12, 2007)

I've tried most of the suggestions above with varying degrees of very temporary success(I found that having my hair up just meant it was harder to pry his fingers out of it and didn't reduce the pulling any, though).

I'm back to considering shaving my head. My hair has been getting progessively shorter and shorter since he was born...


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## Oliver'sMom (Jul 17, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *prothyraia* 
I've tried most of the suggestions above with varying degrees of very temporary success(I found that having my hair up just meant it was harder to pry his fingers out of it and didn't reduce the pulling any, though).

I'm back to considering shaving my head. My hair has been getting progessively shorter and shorter since he was born...









hugs for you mama. I totally understand your situation. I've tried all of these suggestions as well with my 11 month old, and they haven't worked "yet". What I've begun doing is just covering my hair up completely so it isn't accessable. I'll either wear a towel on my head, a shower cap, or sometimes I even wear my swimming cap







. When it's not out there for my son to see and feel, he doesn't have any desire to play with it or pull it. I think I may even invest in some nice silk scarfs or something to wear on my head so I don't look like such a dork at home







When we're out in public, I haven't found the need to cover my hair because my son is way too busy looking at and playing with everything else.

HTH


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## ~ZooBabies~ (Jan 20, 2008)

What a cute idea!!!

I agree, I just keep repeating myself hoping it works!

I also use distraction, if they're going for the hair I say "Oh look at that!" and get them focused on something else. Atleast it gives me a couple minute break









Quote:


Originally Posted by *S.Lee* 
subbing!! I tried to get him to pet my head, Like he does with the dog. No luck- still pulling!


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## jenni22 (Oct 30, 2006)

I am with you here!! Everything else I can handle, even the occasional biting, but the hair pulling, MAN IT HURTS!! I've also gotten shorter and shorter since DD was born! I've also tried to cover it with hats, bandanas, ect, and she's like ooh, what's that, pulls it off plays with it for about 2 seconds then back to the pulling (this is when she's in the carrier on the back) The rest of the time I can usually side track her, but when I'm trying to get something done and she gets bored in there, she grabs handfuls and pulls hard, so I tell her a couple of times while I pry her fingers out that it hurts mama a lot, but I always just have to take her out of the carrier in the end. So I'll watch on here and see if anyone else has any brilliant ideas!









Just wondering, does a really short 'do' stop the pulling, like do your children pull their father's hair? I will consider going that short if they don't!! Thanks!


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## eepster (Sep 20, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jenni22* 
Just wondering, does a really short 'do' stop the pulling, like do your children pull their father's hair? I will consider going that short if they don't!! Thanks!

DS pulled DH's fairly short hair and my dad's beard when he was a baby.


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