I have a 19-month-old daughter. She is a very active child, and usually very well behaved. But in recent times I have noticed that she is constantly whining and also throwing temper tantrums - if she doesn't like something, if she doesn't get something she wants, she starts to hit herself. Very badly. Or she ends up hitting me, her mother. I have tried telling her she shouldn't be doing this, I have tried being firm, I have also expressed my displeasure. She immediately cools down, and her immediate response is to try and appease me because she thinks I am angry with her, but the behaviour continues.
I take her to the park to play with other children every evening. While she is great with kids who are seemingly older than her and enjoys playing with them, with kids her age or slightly younger, she tries to beat them and push them away. I end up constantly trying to control her, tell her she shouldn't be doing that.
I am at my wit's end as to what to do? How do I handle her whiny nature and her temper tantrums? How do I discourage her from hitting people? How do I explain to her that this is not acceptable behaviour? How I do ensure that she learns to say sorry? Please help.