the toddler that throws!

for a while now, we've been battling with trying to curb, if not eradicate, the habit of throwing things that drayden has developed. its partly our fault, for introducing the game of ball to him. now, everything comes flying! remotes, handphones, spoons, you name it, it's flown our way. lol.

we've been through many angry and firm reprimands, but the habit still continues. so like any other helpless parent would do, i decided to read more on the subject online to see how i can stop this behavior of his.

i found two good articles, and as i read through them, i was overcome with guilt, cos as it turns out, its not a nasty "habit" at all, nor is it a sign of acting-out. throwing is actually a learning process for them, a joyful discovery of gravity and cause-and-effect relationships.

oh baby! mommy and daddy are sorry for always using our big voices when you throw things! instead, we should applaud and praise you for mastering such an exciting skill - it takes massive hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills to accomplish! i promise, the next time you throw something at us (even if it leaves a big bump on my head) i'll break into a huge cheer! heh!

if your toddler is driving you mad too, as ours did us, here are a few excerpts from the articles i read, that may help you to react more positively to it:

"Throwing things is a new and enjoyable skill for many children this age. It takes fine motor skills to open the fingers and let go of an object and considerable hand-eye coordination to actually throw it. No wonder she wants to practice this exciting skill once she's mastered it! What happens next is endlessly educational, too: Your toddler discovers that whatever she throws falls down — never up. She can't say "gravity," of course, but she can certainly observe its effects.

If she throws a ball, it bounces; if she tosses an apple, it goes splat; and if her dinner gets the heave-ho, you probably go ballistic. Of course, it's maddening when spaghetti winds up all over your just-mopped kitchen floor or a clean pacifier lands on a dirty sidewalk. But rather than trying to stop your toddler's throwing (a futile effort anyway), concentrate instead on limiting what she throws and where she throws it.

The message you need to convey is that throwing things is a fine as long as she throws the right things in the right place at the right time. "

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"He's not acting out. Your pitcher-in-training's predilection for tossing is not an act of defiance or aggression. Sometimes it's your preverbal toddler's only means of communication. An empty sippy cup thrown on the floor could mean he's still thirsty and wants more. Become attuned to what's being thrown and you might learn to better understand his needs.

You can set limits. Tell him what may and may not be thrown (balls good, food bad), and where throwing is okay, preferably outdoors and not from his high chair. Gently say "No throwing," and shake your head firmly with a serious look on your face. If he persists, tell him: "If you want to throw, I'll take you out of the high chair and we'll go in the backyard and play catch." Then follow through. As long as you're calm and consistent, he will learn."

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well, hope this helps! =)