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Help with an 18 month old toddler..PLEASE..!!!

14 replies

SHHHHsantaiscoming · 07/12/2006 14:30

Sure dd is only a baby and doesn't really understand BUT I think she does have some understanding of what mummy ,does. and ,doesn't/ want her to do...

DD has started to climb onto the windowsil from the couch. She started around 3 weeks ago BUT the last few days is so much more confident and although I can stop her (ahermm...by dragging her down etc) when I leave the room I usually come back to the slight of dd dancing on the window sil WHILE banging on the windows.

I'm waiting someone knocking on my dorr saying " do you realise what your dd is doing" and also part of me is petrified she will go through the window...

What do I do..? I have tried raising my voice and being stern but its met with squeals of delight..I have tried asking her nicely and explaining why but thats met with squeals of delight and I have tried dragging her down firmily...yup you guessed it..its met with squeals of delight.Usually these go hand in hand with a fight etc iykwim..

HELP...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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abgirl · 07/12/2006 14:59

I would sit in the room with her while she does it and totally ignore her - I have a 19mo DS and he definitely knows what isn't allowed to do, so does it and looks at us to see what our reaction will be. Or you could put a cardboard box in the room and tell her not to get in it whatever she does - hopefully your DS would be so distracted by the idea of going in the box that she'll forget about the window.

If anyone comes to the door and I would say 'Yes I do know what she is doing, thank you for your concern' and close the door.

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Pitchounette · 07/12/2006 15:11

Message withdrawn

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ptmum · 07/12/2006 15:13

I agree with abgirl, it sounds like this has turned into a game where she loves being 'dragged' down. Ignoring or distracting her is probably the best thing. We use the naughty step with our 21mth ds and it does work, but is not always suitable for every problem

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liatHoHoHo · 07/12/2006 15:17

Similar thing happened here with dd climbing from the sofa onto the kitchen counter and dancing on it in a precarious fashion. I'm afraid NOTHING we did could stop her other than pulling the sofa far enough away that she couldn't reach. The word "No" had at best a very temporary effect.

She got bored of it after a while, hasn't done it for weeks (she's 21 months now). She's moved on to pushing a chair up to the kitchen units, climbing onto it and playing with the gas hob - aaaarrrrggghhh!

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dublindee · 07/12/2006 15:34

I put DS (21mths)into his old playpen (which is kept in our front room - not used) with no toys/books/games etc for a few minutes. While I put him in I say what he has done wrong calmly and slowly and tell him I'll be back soon, he needs to think about what he has done. He hates it and knows it's a punishment. When I come back to get him I tell him not to do X anymore and we have a cuddle.

Generally works.

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SHHHHsantaiscoming · 07/12/2006 16:00

thanks for the advice everyone. Yes I do believe it is a game but I get so frustrated and its even harder being 32 weeks pregnant..think she plays on it even more as she knows I am not as fast atm and not as able to physically control her as well.

I have tried to ignore her...no use.In fact at night she usually stands on the couch and pulls at the curtains but usually ONLY when I am sat on the couch as though she wants a reaction..I usually go into the kitchen and she gives up. Its like she doesn't want mum to either:
a. Sit alone on the couch
b. Even have a little rest..!

abgirl, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm the box idea sounds good..!! I know she is the type of girl who couldn't resist "not" touching it..! Will try tonight.Thanks..!!!

liatHoHoHo [fshock)............I know that will be dd. ATM her thing is to stand on anything and everything. The sky box is now down the side of the couch, nothing is out on show,all thats in her reach is toys BUT still she can find something to do she shouldn't. She has broke the dvd player by standing and dancing on it......now stands on the box that used to hold the dvd and sky box and reaches to the fireplace to pull items we have there....Feel like I am living in a shell..!

Went to friends yesterday who have a ds..the home is the opposite. Everything is out as it was before he was born. I commented that I no idea how she does it..!! He was as good as gold..dd on the other hand

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liatHoHoHo · 07/12/2006 19:49
  • they do sound amazingly similar. Had to sellotape the sky card into the box but that didn't last long. We also have friends with similar age dd who is totally non-destructive.....


The other day she'd gone a bit quiet for a minute, then I heard something that sounded like the toilet lid - she was up to her armpits washing her dirty nappies in the loo. URGH!
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poppiesinalinewithtinsel · 07/12/2006 20:05

yes, its that silence you suddenly become aware of, followed by mummy and then "WHERE IS HE??!"

DS2's trick at the moment is dancing on the dining room table . Audience or no audience he is not bothered

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Tinker · 07/12/2006 20:09

I'd move the settee. My 18 month old is exactly the same, running on our bed.

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SHHHHsantaiscoming · 07/12/2006 20:19

MOVE THE SETTEE..??? Where to..?!! LOL...!

Seriously it can only go by the window due to the lunge layout and the fact that dh insisted on having a plasma tv stuck to the wall..! Actually maybe that was a good idea of his pre dd... The only thing she can;'t touch.! When we go to others houses their tv is a novelty and she spends the whole visit with her nose pressed to the screen..!

liatHoHoHo OMG, I think we have each others dd's twin!!! ATM I find I am just chasing my tail. I do one thing only to find dd doing something else..like running a bath only to find she has thrown my mobile into it.! or spead a packet of wetwipes over the lounge..!!!

poppiesinalinewithtinsel..yup..the silences are the worse...

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Tinker · 07/12/2006 20:22

Can you pull it out a bit?

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SHHHHsantaiscoming · 07/12/2006 20:48

I could pull it out but then the other problem I would have is her running behind it and climbing the window sill that way as our home is new build so the windows are quite low iykwim...
Also there is little room between the door and the couch now atm so if it was pulled out any more the space would be 0.

God...toddlers..any law against us tying them up when we leave the room etc..?

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poppiesinalinewithtinsel · 07/12/2006 21:04

ooohh yes.. those silences. They can be quite nerve wracking!

LOL though. I do know what you mean re: clearing up one mess to turn around to discover another! I actually stood in the middle of my kitchen the other day and yelled "WILL YOU JUST STOP FOR ONE MINUTE!!!" DS2 just looked up from the middle of spoons he had collected that he was posting into the bin with a look on his face.

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queenrollo · 12/12/2006 11:11

my 16 month old ds is a livewire too. he loves to get on our sofa and throw himself backwards into the cushions.....but he also throws himself backwards the other way too. i can't leave him unattended AT ALL in any room because he will find something to climb and launch himself off. he's now discovered that shelves can be climbed like ladders.
i'm worn out, and get really pissed off with my other mummy friends who think i'm lying when i try to explain how much of a handful he is. he is a delightful, sunny, giggling and very loving little boy.......he's just very adventurous and boisterous with it!
i'd love another child but the thought of being pregnant and then having a newborn to take care of with this little whirlwind in the house terrifies me!

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