Are all toddlers this hard work?

[Bumbalaya]

My DD 2.5 is such hard work at the moment.
She is very clingy towards me and insists that I carry her everywhere. If I walk downstairs she wants me to carry her even though she’s able to walk perfectly well holding my hand, she then screams and cries for aaaages if I...
-put her coat on
-put her nappy on
-get her dressed
-put her in the car seat
-put her in the pushchair

• insist that she walks (I have a bad back)

When I have friends round or take her to a friends house she often clings to me and asks to go home. I’m sick of the whole day being a battle.

I’m an early years teacher soon confident that I’m stimulating her well in all areas and setting boundaries.

Is it just that all toddlers are difficult?

She cried the other day because I told her that her thumbs were called thumbs. 🤦🏼‍♀️

Pmsl, yep sounds like my 2 year old. He's slowly breaking me down and I'm also 9 months pregnant

Just don't let her tantrum in public around puddles if the other thread is anything to go by. You never know which OP might be watching you 😂

They can be. Its very wearing trying to deal with it. Treat the rages as the tantrums they are and walk away

Sounds normal.

It's she tired? Two year old are so much worse when they are tired.

Nutty 😂

Sounds pretty standard issue, I’m afraid.

One thing that used to work for us was the old ‘choices’ game eg ‘will you wear the red jumper or the blue jumper?’...I say used to work for us as at just gone 3, DS2 will now say ‘none of them!’...but it worked for a while.

Sounds very drainingOP, sympathies!

It does sound normal OP. Hang in there - this too shall pass!

Yes. I was either laughing hysterically at their crazy antics or crying at their strops, tantrums and unfathomable behaviour. Urghh. I remember it well. (I have a tween & 2 teens and I very much prefer this age). My only advice is to take any offer of help for some time off. It will pass 💐

Yep sounds like my 2.5 year old DD too. Everything is a fight, nappy changing, coat on, clothes on, in and then out of the bath. It's endless! It's a phase, you've just got to gin/wine your way through it

Sounds about right

Y'up!

I had one who would only eat off my plate... I gave in and let her and I'm one of the stricter mums I know. It's a case of pick your battles

Sounds just like my 2.5 year old DS. He has just had a baby sister which has made things worse as he seems her getting attention when she cries so now instead of asking for anything he just stands and whinges or cries!

No, they aren't all that difficult. I too had a demanding toddler that has matured into a demanding preschooler and one thing that I am absolutely sure of is that all children do not challenge their parents equally. Some children are generally more difficult to parent whilst other kids will go through difficult phases or stages in their lives where they are more challenging than the "average" child of that age. Unfortunately it's just the way it is!

I have also read though that more challenging children can be more sensitive to parenting and how you react to them and their behaviour can have a greater impact on them than a less demanding child. It sometimes feels incredibly unfair when some parents get a relatively easy ride of things and can get away with parenting that I absolutely can't. Even worse is when these parents presume that their naturally easier child is well behaved/a good eater/ confident etc etc because of their parenting. That genuinely gives me the rage

No they’re not all like that far from it.

I had one just like that
And one easy as pie

Just wanted to say I totally understand, you just described my life!! And I have a newborn as well 🙈. I do the 2 options game and just try to get through each day as best I can 😬

I have a 2.5 year old. Whilst he is without doubt the light and love of my life, my sunshine and the most beautiful, hilarious and wonderful child ever born... He can also be a proper bad knobhead.

They are not all like that but many are.
I had two horrors but the good news is that ages 0 to 4 were the worst. From five upwards they got easier in every way even as teenagers. They are now grown up.
So comfort yourself with the thought that your professional tantrummer may turn out to be a dream of a teen while those placid, compliant children you envy may be giving their parents sleepless nights when they are 13.

Thanks everyone. I am so glad it’s not just my DD, I’m just hoping that she will get easier one day or I might lose my —fucking— mind 😬

I could have written a post very similar today about my sixteen month old. She just seems so miserable the whole time, is very clingy, just wants to be carried everywhere, cries if I put her down, cries when I dress her, or when I undress her. It’s times like this I’m glad she’s at nursery 5 days a week.

My one thought about my own is that she is bored in my house when she spends five days a week at a nursery full of toys and other people and attention. If she is constantly stimulated and played with she is much better.

My favourite piece of parenting advice, that I have followed with both of my DC, is to remember that everything is just a phase!!!! You will get through it! It will get better! It’s my daily mantra

havent experienced the clinginess yet but lord is my 21month old kicking off at everything atm!!!
Her dad keeps asking me "what happened to our calm baby"....

Philippe a proper bad knobhead mine too

My little demon angel is 2.3 and he does this screech which is like taking a cheese grater to my nerves. He also wants to be carried a lot, which I can’t do due to disability and so we get screaming. It is a constant battle from around 5.30am to 8pm and usually an hour or so in the night as he doesn’t sleep either. He has a very precious 90 minute nap at lunchtime where I sit/nap/half-heartedly do a bit of housework and if I didn’t have that time, plus nursery two days a week, I would be demented. Wine helps as well.

Only thing I have found to help with him is to catch him before he melts down. Getting him to help is good, so asking him to get the change mat out for a nappy change. Making him laugh is good too - he currently enjoys my daft made up verses for the wheels on the bus. Sometimes bribery. Always full on wrestling for things like teeth cleaning and cream on his face. Calpol is a two woman job, with my mum as DH is useless at holding his head back.

I feel your pain someday it will pass!!

I hear you OP, my 2.4 year old is the same😂 apparently my partners first was an easygoing toddler but our DD is determined/spirited for sure! Really hoping that she gets all her angst out in these toddler years and the teenage years are a breeze.

I have an easy going amazing toddler who was an absolute nightmare baby. I think they all have at least one challenging phase

Yeah my dd was exactly like this.. just a toddler thing I'm afraid! She should grow out of most of it as she gets older although my dd is still occasionally clingy and does throw a tantrum and she's 4