My son bit a kid at playgroup when he was 18 months old and I wanted to dissolve into the floor. The hitting phase can feel just as mortifying. But here is the truth: toddler hitting is incredibly common and it does not mean your child is aggressive or that you are failing as a parent. Toddlers hit because they are overwhelmed and lack the words to express big feelings, because they are excited and do not know how to channel it, because they want your attention and have learned that hitting reliably gets it, or because they are still learning cause and effect. When hitting happens, respond immediately and calmly. Get down to their level and use a firm but not angry voice: we do not hit, hitting hurts. Do not hit back and do not laugh even if it does not hurt. Give the child who was hit attention first. Teach alternative ways to express big feelings: use your words, stomp your feet, squeeze a pillow. Watch for patterns and intervene before the hit happens. Catch them being gentle and praise it specifically: I love how gently you petted the dog. Most hitting phases resolve between ages 2 and 3 as language catches up with feelings. If hitting is severe, frequent, or continues past age 3, mention it to your pediatrician.