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Behaviour/development

Just the old Terrible Twos...

5 replies

mmmerangue · 19/02/2013 11:54

I am really not good with this.

DS is 2 this week. He is very bright - I know he can remember most of the rules. I can tell when he is just doing something to get a reaction. Especially if he's done it 5 times in the last half hour (which is generally when the shouting raging mummy will appear).

His favourites, probably because I let so much else slide in an attempt to 'pick my battles', are the genuinely dangerous things like playing with wires, grabbing for scissors, climbing on windowsills (thank god for safety latches).

Hits me if I ignore demands (currently about 18 snacks a day) or tell him off. Kicks me while I change him. Says NO NO NO NO when asked any question and then cries if he actually meant yes. Presses all the buttons on various electrical things, switches, etc. ENDLESSLY.

I try to make punishment instant, relevant and then forget about it. Today he had morning cartoons switched off because he kept getting up from breakfast. He had to sit on the floor hands-between-knees (we don't have stairs for a naughty step), because he kept going in the kitchen cupboards even though I asked, told, bargained, begged and shouted for him to leave them. Today, where he has woken up early and is therefore a bit out of sorts (going into Toddler bed a separate but related issue...) he is just doing naughty thing after naughty thing and I feel like I have spent the whole morning shouting. Yesterday was blissful by comparison, but he had my full attention and I got nothing done. DP did it all when he got in from work!

Ugh. I know it will all pass. But help me in the meantime please! >.

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BeCool · 19/02/2013 11:57

It's a drain isn't it? I'm just heading there with DD2. Be calm, be consistent, it will soon pass.

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BeCool · 19/02/2013 11:59

Being brutally honest, it's at this age that I am really thankful I work FT. I would find it very difficult to deal with 24/7. I still deal with it daily of course, but I get a nice break in the middle of 5 days of the week :)

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mmmerangue · 19/02/2013 12:08

I have been trying to get more hours at work but they aren't there at the moment.

2 afternoons a week he is a perfect angel... at Nursery! They have much more high-maintenance tots there and he just potters about playing nicely! Envy

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tazmo · 19/02/2013 21:53

Sounds like he's enjoying the attention. Don't say anything and take stuff off him. Don't reward him with snacks if you feel he is being naughty. My dd currently 2 is crying if stuff doesn't go her way. I ignore her and she soon snaps out of it and I tell her how good she is when she asks nicely etc. hard when theynr just 2 tho - my dd will be 3 in may so is coming out the worst. Back to work in 2 weeks after mat leave with dd 3 - yeaaaaay!

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mewkins · 19/02/2013 22:59

I feel your pain. I have this week off work and day 2 and I've already lost patience. I do not stand for hitting or kicking though. Everything else gets a warning but hitting and kicking gets instant naughty corner.

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