The Follow-Up: Biting, Hitting, Throwing Explained

The PedsDocTalk Podcast: Child Health, Development & Parenting—From a Pediatrician Mom

Dr. Mona Amin

Kids & Family, Medicine, Parenting, Health & Fitness

4.9 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 30 March 2026

⏱️ 12 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Few things trigger parents faster than physical behavior. It can feel embarrassing, frustrating, and sometimes even personal. But what if these behaviors are less about “bad behavior” and more about a brain that simply isn’t ready yet? In this episode, we break down why toddlers lean into physical, reactive behaviors when big feelings take over. Their emotional capacity is growing quickly, but their ability to pause, regulate, and explain what they’re feeling is still catching up. So they use what works fast - their bodies. We talk about how to respond in the moment without shaming, lecturing, or asking rhetorical questions toddlers cannot answer. Instead of saying “Why are you biting me?” or “That’s not nice,” we explore how to set firm boundaries while still guiding the skill that is developing. You’ll learn how to: ✔️ Separate the action from the intention ✔️ Redirect behavior without minimizing the need behind it ✔️ Offer appropriate outlets for physical impulses ✔️ Reinforce correct behavior at home, even if incidents are happening at daycare ✔️ Partner with teachers to prevent behaviors before they escalate ✔️ Avoid common mistakes like shaming, over-talking, or making it personal Want more? Listen to the full, original episode. Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and ⁠subscribe to PedsDocTalk⁠. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠! And don’t forget to follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pedsdoctalkpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the ⁠PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships⁠ page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello, it's Dr. Mona here, your favorite online pediatrician, I hope, your online mom friend,
0:04.8	and this is the follow-up, where we revisit a favorite parenting conversation on the show
0:11.5	in less time than it takes your toddler to throw a toy, ask for her back, and throw it again.
0:17.1	If you've ever dealt with biting, hitting, or throwing, you know how quickly those moments can feel overwhelming.
0:22.1	But many of these behaviors are actually tied to development, impulse control, and communication skills that are still growing.
0:28.2	In this episode, I'm joined by child developmental specialist and parenting expert, Dr. Sigi Cohen,
0:33.4	to talk about when to intervene with behaviors like biting and hitting, hint, you should,
0:37.8	why tall their struggle with abstract language, and how to guide behavior by offering appropriate
0:42.5	alternatives instead of rhetorical questions or shame.
0:45.8	If this conversation resonates with you, remember the drill, download the full episode,
0:50.4	subscribe to the show, share this episode with a parent in the toddler years, and tag
0:55.2	at the Pete's Doc Talk podcast and at doctor.siggy, sigig, I,e, so we can keep supporting
1:02.0	families together. Let's get into today's conversation.
1:09.8	How can we navigate these behaviors as parents?
1:12.3	Let's maybe use the throwing example.
1:14.6	Things that we can do in the moment, things that we can do later.
1:17.3	What are some of your general tips?
1:18.9	Right.
1:19.3	So we want to understand, first of all, that when we say it's normal and typical,
1:23.2	it is part of natural development.
1:26.6	But where they are at that point in life is that language,
1:30.3	cognitive, obviously, an intellect is progressing, but not as fast as emotions. So at this point,
	...

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