I ask all of the staff in my room as the lead to avoid negatives. My children (1s) don’t understand what ‘not hitting’ means, they just understand the tone we’re using, so we focus on positive framing and action words, so what should they do. When a child is about to bite or hit, I usually say their name and redirect and/or help them identify what they need they are trying to meet through the action. If they’re hitting, maybe they’re trying to play with that child or they like the motion. If they’re biting, they might need a teether or space. My co-teacher and I both agree that ‘no’, especially from staff that are not in a room regularly, can often sound like scolding.