Why Kids Hit, and How to Help Them Stop

Guest post by Laura Markham.

“Dr Laura — My 4 year old hits my 9 month old. It is very hard to see any danger signs with him as he will push or hit her out of the blue. One minute he is sitting there patting her gently and cooing and then in a flash he will push her over or hit her. There is not much outward anger in his feelings so I struggle to know how to deal with the situation as I feel silly saying to him ‘You are angry’ when he shows no signs at all of being angry or upset — he seems to just do it for the fun of it.” – Belinda

If we saw his anger, frustration, or jealousy it would be easier because at least we could understand that. But when he acts like a cold-blooded bully, inflicting pain “for the fun of it” or “just because he can” — that strikes terror into our hearts. We’re afraid that somehow our child is becoming a monster.
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