Spirited children

[hugzy93]

Hi moms!!

I'm here looking to see who else has been blessed with spirited children and how we may all have a lot in common with our kids. Also here to give advice or learn from other parenting styles & techniques!!

My daughter is currently 20 months old.
I knew my daughter was going to be an absolute hand full from pregnancy. Even the ultrasound technicians would have a good laugh at her. She moved CONSTANTLY! (Unlike my current pregnancy with her brother). She always made sure I knew she was there and beat the ever living crap of me! Fast forward to birth.

My daughter was a screamer... all...she...did...was...cry!!! Moments after birth she was screaming. Of course mine and the nurses assumed to breastfeed- she was just hungry and trying to get use to her new surroundings. Nope.

After two nights in the hospital I was never so happy to be home! Nurses there even offered to take her off my hands so i could sleep. She didn't lay on her back, hated being swaddles, needed to be in my arms and on the boob!

Finally home and the swing we had bought saved my life. I spent most nights just watching her breathe (can you tell I was a FTM??) haha so most days I was exhausted because I didn't sleep.

Eventually she would wake up FREAKING out, no matter how much I bounced (as bouncy as you can with a new baby) and rubbed her back... nothing worked! My poor neighbours I'm sure hated it just as much lmfao!

Eventually the crying never stopped I just resorted to burping as much as I can & oval drops/gripe water- dr blamed "colic" so we went with it.

By 4 months she had the worlds largest attitude. People called me crazy, my child wasn't dumb, she knew what she wanted and she wanted it YESTERDAY. For a child who couldn't speak, or point or do anything but cry she made sure that when she didn't want a friggin blanket on- she didn't want it PERIOD, she would intentionally wake up to remove it.

She NEVER had a schedule. My daughter slept good for the first 8 months, but getting her to sleep? Pffffffft. She never went to sleep before 12AM. Yes you read that right. I was exhausted! Not to mention the physical exhaustion of bouncing and rocking her to sleep.

She held up her own head, stood, and walked early. She was determined and eager to be independent. If she didn't like being held the way you held her- she'd lose it. It was sometimes comical to see such a personality... but very scary.

By 12 months we went through this face where sleep was chopped & screwed. Just when you think it's bedtime for baby, she's up 2-4 hours later. Stays AWAKE for 4, and back down for a couple hours. She did this in weird patterns. E.I. - Monday she would go down 12-8Am, Tuesday 12-4-8-10. Repeat Wednesday, repeat Thursday, Friday 12-8, and so on.. she wasn't guaranteed to do it on any particular night, but if she's up one night, expect it to follow for 2-3 nights, than repeat. She is still to this day the very same!

Naps... ohhhhh naps. These don't happen at the same time either. Nope! I can't bank on doing house work when u never know when she'll drop. It's anyone's guess. The duration of time isn't even predictable. Ive tried bathing her at same time everyday, eating dinner at same time everyday, reading same amount of books, exposing her to same amount of tv time.. etc, no routine will form🙄.

She has meltdowns over everything, hates change, diaper changes, silence, socks.. I'm sure most kids are the same.

Bringing her to a grocery store is just a panic attack waiting to happen. She doesn't sit in a cart, she just runs, grabs items and tried to eat them. When picking her up to even just carry her instead, her arms go up, flails to the floor, screams... embarrassing right?!


Any moms have any stories to share? Xoxo

[HardofCleaning]

Sounds like my DS. Never used his moses basket (gave it away good as new) didn't sleep anywhere but on my chest until he was about 9 months old (and then only for two hours at the beginning of the night). Nothing but boob would comfort him.Gone through lots of phases and is still terrified of the toilet flushing. He's 4 now and still sensitive and highly strung, but also incredibly loving, thoughtful and considerate.

[gandalf456]

Yes..my 12 year old was like that. Still a drama llama

[KondosSecretJunkRoom]

My ds3 is as spirited as they come, I think.
Yesterday we had:
"I want ice-cream"
"No, you can't have ice-cream"
"Why"
"Because it is breakfast time"
"I will cry if you don't give me ice-cream"
"So sad, too bad".

He is two. I'm almost 40. I don't think either of us covered ourselves in glory there. I'm not sure that casual sarcasm is an actual method in 'How to talk so kids will listen", so I am going to have to up my game.

[VintagePerfumista]

You might want to start getting some tactics in place before she starts in education, because "spirited" tends to = badly behaved when there is a classroom full of them.

What do you do when she has tantrums?

[VintagePerfumista]

(although at 20 mths the chucking themselves on the floor and squawking is part of the job description really!)

[5moreminutes]

She may well have sensory processing problems hugs - that's what it sounds like to me. "Spirited" is usually code for naughty, but your DD is a poor sleeper who struggles with / reacts to triggers... she is too young to be naughty, and her behaviour as a small baby sounds as if she was very unsettled, not "spirited".

I have one like that - of course he's a character (they all are), and I could interject stories about the things he climbed before the age of 12 months or his insane imagination etc but his inability to sleep through the night at nearly 6 doesn't make him "spirited", nor does the fact certain food textures make him vomit and certain clothing textures make him irritable.

[KondosSecretJunkRoom]

Yeah, well 'spirited' does cover a multitude of sins, none of which are appreciated in the classroom. Still though, I think most children tend to be fairly civilised by the time they get to school. I am relieved that ds3 was born in January (he's 3 next week) though so I have another 6 months more than I had with his brothers to get him in line ready.