Take a bite

Look at this face. At the age of 22 months she has officially been kicked out of her first school, for biting. It's been a rough few weeks to say the least.

When we decided to go to K*yfield with Mia I had concerns about their policy on biting. After having gone through biting with C as a toddler in Cincinnati, and experiencing their approach, we felt it was harsh to kick a child out for bitting. But, we also felt it would be best for C to go to school with her cousin. So, we let it go.

Then a little over a month ago, our sweet, loveable, fiesty little girl started getting bit at school. We didn't freak out because we knew kids at her age bit. They are learning to talk and can't say when they are upset or angry or whatever.

Then R started biting. And biting. And biting.

From the start we weren't pleased with the way her biting was being handled or how we were being addressed about it. But we kept trying to work it out. She wasn't biting at home so it was dificult for us to deal with her "behavior problem" that they said she had. It was frustrating.

Ended up that she was biting the same kid. We asked her to be moved away from this child to another room three times and they wouldn't. After meeting with them, having them try to put her in "time out" for biting numerous times, having her sent home for biting, etc. they kicked us out.

Talk about having a meltdown. That is how I was the day I picked her up for biting and they refused to move her to a new room and told us we had a week to find her a new place.

I was pissed. I was sad. I was angry at them for handling the situation so poorly and for not even thinking about our other child who would have to leave her friends and her cousin. Sure, we could have kept C at one school and send R to another, but why would we? They have labeled our child who did what most kids her age do. They had shown they couldn't handle a difficult situation well.

So, thankfully, we found a new school for the girls. Both of them. A school that handles biting more in line with our views. And interestingly enough, after a week there, she hasn't bitten once.

In the end, after all the tears and anger, everything happens for a reason. R was trying to tell us something wasn't right and this was the only way she could tell us. Sure, she's still struggling with aggression, but most kids her age do. We'll work through it like we did with C.

We love our little R...biting and all.