Resolved Question

My son (2) and my step daughter (15) get along so good however my son for some reason will bite her when he gets mad. No one else just her even if he gets mad at me. Any ideas????

According to pre-genital developmental psychology, the behavioral symptom of biting is almost always caused by repressed anger. So in other words, your son is taught to repress his anger, which usually results in a tightening of the temporo-mandibular region of the jaw (this is where he "holds back" the anger). His release is to bite, and your reaction to the biting will usually reward his actions by giving him the recognition he seeks for his anger.

The proper way to treat this is:

1) Find a new outlet for his anger. Because this is almost always a result of repressed anger, it's easy to find a new outlet. I would suggest teaching him how to lay down, scream and strike his arms out onto some soft blankets or pillows at regular intervals, even when he is not feeling aggressive. This will help free up and dissipate the repressed energy.

2) Examine your attitudes to his non-biting behavior. How do you react to him when he has a tantrum or is expressing negativity? Do you allow him to properly vent his anger? Do you allow him to vocalize? What possible anger displays might you be showing him? Your actions are causing repression, and finding which ones lead to his disorder is key to curing sublimated forms of anger such as biting.

3) Don't listen to any advice that advocates giving him more fear and more of a reason to repress his anger (or, worse, medication), or you will have a much, much bigger problem on your hands very shortly.

Two years old is still young enough to correct your parenting approach which has given him this problem in the first place. Allow - don't restrict - and merely direct his anger to an area that is safe, cathartic and permissive.