Hands Are Not for Hitting

Update September 2nd 2019: After a few weeks of using this book I can say it has for sure worked. I changed the stars from a 4 to a 5. My son wants to read it every night and will repeat after me after I said “hands are not for hitting”. When he does try to hit now I repeat that snippet from the book to him and he instantly realizes that it was a no no and repeats the snippet back. We’ve seen a great reduction in hitting/pushing/aggressive behavior since using this book. I highly recommend it Original August 16th: My 2 year old toddler is delayed and his tantrums are epic meltdowns due to a lack of communication skills. Some of these chaotic meltdowns involves him hitting. We have worked really hard and used numerous tools to get him to understand that hitting is not okay. This book is a very colorful tool that helps make the lessons more tangible for a child with receptive language difficulties. Pictures make everything a bit easier for my child to grasp and I was able to sign along to some of the simple phrases for him to understand better. I agree with another reviewer that this book is too long and too much for a child under 2. I’d even go as far and say this is better for the 3 and up range and I wish I would’ve tried the board book first. However, I do like that this is a book he can grow into and have for years to come. Hands are not for hitting also has a lesson for parents and information in the back of the book. If your child has issues with hitting this is a great tool to try to get them more involved in the learning process of what is appropriate behavior for our hands. I can’t say if it really helped or not at this time since we’ve only had one read through, but it is a Book I will for sure be reading at every bedtime. It’s a great book and I highly recommend it.

I ordered this book when at 18 months my daughter started having a hard time "keeping her hands to herself," as my day care provider put it. I was horrified that my sweet little girl could potentially be turning into a bully and immediately began searching for a book that would help me help her understand that hitting wasn't okay. I decided on this one given the high product reviews. I could only find the truncated board book version at my local store, so at the suggestion of multiple reviewers, I ordered the paperback instead. I'm very glad I did, because it contains much more information about how hitting makes other people feel and why it's not acceptable, as well as it offers alternative solutions to solving problems that might otherwise provoke a child to hit. This additional material is, I think, especially helpful for an older child whose reasoning skills are a bit more advanced and would be more receptive to the sorts of logical arguments outlined in the paperback version. I ordered this book and _Tails Are Not for Pulling_, because both issues presented themselves upon our household around the same time, and the results were shockingly fast. Within a couple of days, my day care provider informed me that my daughter's hitting had ceased, and our beloved kitty was breathing a little easier in her presence. I was so pleased with the content of these books and the results we saw that I've since turned to this wonderful series to help explain to my daughter everything from naps to the potty. My daughter loves these books so much that she's literally able to recite the text after just a couple of reads through a new edition. I can't recommend this book enough, and if you have other issues that warrant attention, do try the other books in this series. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

To my great distress, my kindergarten age daughter suddenly began having issues with hitting. We've always emphasized empathy and gentleness so I was blown away when she began to hit her favorite friend at school. In my search for stories about empathy, being gentle, etc. to reinforce why it is not OK to hit, I ran across this book and almost did not buy it. I thought it was more appropriate for the 2-4 year old set, when they're just beginning to learn about what is and is not okay behavior and why. However, the reviews made me go ahead and buy it. Of the five books I bought about kindness and empathy THIS is the one that she had her daddy read to her over and over and that I actually saw her reading on her own on multiple occasions!!! She loved the book. Somewhere between this book and the other corrective actions I was taking she has stopped hitting her friend (knock-on-wood!). Based on her intense interest in this particular book I cannot help but assume it absolutely played a part in that. Now I just hope it all sticks. Don't hesitate to buy this even if you think your child might be a bit too old. It is very basic and simple, but sometimes that is the most effective approach. Recommended!!

This is an excellent book for my three year old. I bought the paperback version which I believe includes a lot of discussion points encouraging an interactive discussion with my child. My son loves this book and asks for it all the time for bedtime reading. He has even told one of his preschool buddies that "hands are not for hitting, they're for keeping safe". I'm a little confused about who authored it. My son and I are fans of 'Teeth are not for Biting by Elizabeth Verdick' and came across this book (also part of the Best Behavior series) when I specifically searched for Elizabeth Verdick. I realized only after my purchase that this book was authored by Martine Agassi. It doesn't matter though because the book seems be written in a similar style. As a parent, I found it easy to read and explain; my son found it easy to interpret both the illustrations and the message being conveyed. I have seen it's effects already since he's much more careful with his hands.

Great book. I will add that I wish towards the end or maybe in the beginning, the book adds a note when hitting is only acceptable when defending yourself from people who are harming you/ placing you in danger…. As a precaution. Just so kids know that when in danger, it is okay to hit. Other than that great book!

This book was recommended to me by just about everyone I asked. It is well-written and really hits the target goal. It's not easy to deal with hitting toddlers and pre-school-aged kids, but consistency is the key. The "Hands are not for hitting" phrase is an excellent one when used consistently. I purchased the paper-back-style book because I'd heard it was more thorough than the board book (which is pretty standard). I really like having this version. There are interactive moments with the reader and the listener, and it asks the child to think about how they fit into the scenarios in the book a number of times. It's more than just a book, it's an interactive learning tool. It even has two pages of helpful ideas for the parents at the end of the book. If you have any issues with hitting or want to avoid the problem, this is a great book. Will it stop all hitting? A book alone can't stop a behavior. Will it offer some great ways to address hitting? You bet!

My twin great-nephews can't seem to stop hitting/fighting with each other and now their with pre-school chums. This book was great to let them know how hitting hurts other people. It was fun to read and when they come over, they now want to have their Auntie read it to them again! This book held their attention and made them think. They had questions after reading this book...that's always a good thing.

Helpful book

As an advocate for gentle parenting, I used this book to talk to my son about this behaviour. It helped reinforce and teaching my toddler that hitting isn’t kind. It’s really user friendly for both parents and children.

We loved it

Excellent book that covers a common topic. Good for young learners.

Good educational value.

Really like this! Lots of talk about all the positive things hands can do and a sympathetic look at why they are not for hitting. Very simple and easy to understand