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Please help me. My children are breaking me

71 replies

SomeoneYouLove · 29/05/2019 16:27

They are 4 and 22 months. Both girls.

Just horrific. The toddler believes she is 4 and has a fucking death wish. I literally can’t take my eyes off her for a second or she’s destroying something, being violent to her sister or making a bee line for the stairs. Yesterday they were at the table drawing. I turned round to put something in the fridge and she scribbled all over the wall. She had clearly been waiting for her 15 second window of opportunity. She won’t stay in her car seat. She climbs and jumps off furniture. If it wasn’t for the fact that I watch her like a total hawk she’d have seriously injured herself by now.

She gives absolutely zero fucks. If I tell her off for something (eg she will get a firm “no!” if she hurts 4 year old DD) she laughs. But she’s not even two yet so I don’t know what the fuck else I’m supposed to do?!

The four year old is well behaved but so, so needy. Does nothing for herself. Needs me involved in everything. Won’t go to the toilet herself etc (she can - she goes to nursery three days per week and manages it fine there). I am working on this.

I’m just so fucking tired. I don’t know what to do.

OP posts:
sleepismysuperpower1 · 29/05/2019 17:17

also, re the carseat, i would get one of these. it means they won't be able to undo the straps. do you use a buggy OP? could you try using reins so dc can run and tire them out a bit? all the best x

managedmis · 29/05/2019 17:19

Is she still in a cot?

perplexedagain · 29/05/2019 17:22

time out didn't work for me, nor did the naughty step. DS very curious and always up to something. But yes, no one believed how quick and determined he could be. friends kids much more laid back and happy to sit and play. For those recommending a playpen, be careful. We had one when DS younger - 8 months until about 24 months I think. Problem then was that he could then move it by throwing himself at it and pushing. it became dangerous (and it was a huge lindem one). Ditto climbing out of cot
It was seriously hard until he got a bit more focus and was happy playing with something for a few minutes without attention (or climbing)
FWIW he still bloody climbs at age 5 but now its trees and large structures

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BlackBathroom · 29/05/2019 17:31

Go out.

It's counterintuitive - but it's easier out.

Moodyfoodie · 29/05/2019 17:34

Go out.
It's counterintuitive - but it's easier out.

Would also second that. Fresh air will be a miracle worker, for all of you.

Whysoannoying · 29/05/2019 17:36

DS was like this - it was exhausting and totally full on! He was diagnosed with ASD and ADHD shortly after but I'm sure many NT children are the same. He could climb out of any playpen or cot and over any gate, and refused to sit on any step or stay in his room, so none of those worked for us.

It's frowned upon but I used to close his bedroom door with a bungee strap looped around the bathroom next door, otherwise I would never have slept at night (he used to turn on taps, knock the gas knobs on, get eggs out of the fridge and break them etc). He refused reins or wrist straps but would wear a harness out as long as I didn't hold it (but I could hover my hand above it). He constantly needed stimulation and attention - and never understood the word 'no' or learned any consequences. The only thing that kept him quiet and still on his own was screen time - TV/ipad etc.

Fortunately he outgrew all those behaviours eventually - but it was completely exhausting at the time! I wish you lots of luck and patience, and as much sleep as you can manage! Flowers

HJWT · 29/05/2019 17:38

Op is she still in a cot? If so when she is very naughty give her a warning and put her to bed. Its the ONLY threat that works with DD, she has never actually got to the bedroom because she always calms down before it gets to it x

Mummyoflittledragon · 29/05/2019 17:40

From a plus side your youngest will go far. Your eldest will grow in confidence. I know someone, who had a very similar scenario and he shadowed his younger brother. It’s must be very hard at this age.

Are you taking them out every day to run off their energy? At this age and older my dd needed to run off her excess energy.

My dd didn’t do well with time out / step. What about time in? I also have heard of people talking about 123 magic. Apparently it’s really good.

TheVanguardSix · 29/05/2019 17:42

Just offering big, sympathetic hugs. OP, two of mine were total Death Wishers. DH and I used to refer to it as Kamikaze Watch. I remember going into the kitchen to pour the kettle, left the tea to brew, then returned to the living room to find DC3 (then 18 months) dangling from the tip-top built-in shelf (which reached the ceiling). That was a moment where I thought, "This guy's nuts and I just have to totally find a way of working with this."

You need to find ways of getting time to breathe. Nursery! Playpen.

Use less and clear language when setting boundaries.
Walk out of the room and ignore your DD when she's winding you up (as long as it's safe to leave her). Don't engage in the bad behaviour. They love a wind-up and your response means more attention. So the less you respond, the less attention she gets. When she's ready to calm down, play ball, and talk to you, then you can come in with the 'We don't run up and down the stairs screaming and throwing a ball at mummy's head," or whatever it is she's up to.

Save the warm, loving dialogue for warm, easy, loving times. But when you have to 'manage' bad behaviour, just be pragmatic, matter-of-fact, and don't engage. Don't get sucked into the vortex. Easier said than done. I have screamed into pillows several times, raising my kids.
You're in the thick of tough ages. I mean, society uses unicorn turds to paint a merry portrait of early childhood years, but f*ck me it's hard, OP. The pay-off is huge. But in the meantime, breathe!

Starting reception will help, OP. Starting school and the structure that comes with that environment helps, big time. Put the little one in nursery 2-3 mornings a week, if you can. You just need to breathe and make sure the house is secure (secure shelves/wardrobes/chests of drawers to walls, for example). Can you let your kitchen table become, as my Italian friend calls ours, 'La tavola della vita', the table of life? Our kids draw with Stabilo Woody crayons (they wipe off!) directly onto the kitchen table. And contrary to what others say, they never ever draw on walls or other surfaces. We can go to other people's houses and they would never draw on their tables. But at home, our kitchen table is there to be lived upon. I'll send you a photo in my next post. If you don't want to go this far, get butcher roll paper. Roll out a long length, sticky tape it onto the floor, let 'em go mad with chalk, crayons, whatever. Do you have a patio? Chalk! Another thing I find very calming is kinetic sand. It's messy, but it's very much therapeutic play. If you have any outdoor space, even if it's small, could you get something like a Little Tikes slide or Little Tike splash-about pirate ship? Something that just engages your little 4 year old. Something that is safe and thrilling at the same time. We also have this thing called a didicar. That's been a lot of fun and the kids can ride it up to the age of 8. Our kids just spin around on the back patio. My 17 year old even rides it. Grin

Hugs, Op. There's no quick-fix but there are tricks and ideas to help the days pass more easily.

MerryMarigold · 29/05/2019 17:46

I'd put her in cot for a bit if she's getting too cheeky (eg. Laughing at 'no'). Even if it's just to give you breathing space. If she screams, so be it. She needs to know who's boss.

I'd also reward the 4yo with attention/ praise/ sticker if she does stuff on her own. That way she still gets the attention but in a good way.

I'd also try to mostly put 4yo to bed and get DH/ parents/ whoever to put younger dd to bed. Sounds like older dd needs more 1:1.

SomeoneYouLove · 29/05/2019 17:49

Stair gate for the bottom of the stairs. That is happening. I don’t know why that didn’t occur to me. We already have one at the top. I will look into a playpen but we don’t have a massive amount of space.

The car seat - she can take her arms out of the straps so she’s only fastened around the waist. Older one is good at telling me when she does this so I can pull over but it’s driving me insane. She has always done this. I have tried three seats and she has managed it in every single one. The one she has now is a Cybex Sirona. It’s a brilliant ERF seat and I can’t afford to replace it.

I am just so sick of the sound of my own voice telling them off

OP posts:
Coyoacan · 29/05/2019 17:49

I'm absolutely no expert, OP, but I was wondering if you are too perfect at saving your toddlers from hurting herself.

I only had the one child and each child has there own personality, but my philosophy was to let her fall if I knew she wouldn't majorly hurt herself and she grew up to be very good at protecting herself.

I also think you might want to think, as another poster said, about whether you are mostly giving them attention when they are doing something they shouldn't, which is very understandable but only encouraging misbehaviour.

TheVanguardSix · 29/05/2019 17:52

Sorry, I was reading the 4 year old as the cheeky one.

What might help with your 4 year old is a sand timer and stickers (as others have mentioned). Get her to choose an outfit. Giver her a sticker. Next week get her to choose and outfit and put her pants and trousers on (by herself). Sticker reward. Stand outside the room when she's doing this.

The sand timer may or may not help, but it's very useful if you're struggling with time management, i.e. your 4 year old is dawdling when brushing her teeth. Or you can set a 5 minute sand timer to let her know how long she has to wait until she can, for example, play on the iPad, watch tv, wait for you while you go to the loo (alone!).

Pipandmum · 29/05/2019 17:52

Put her in a playpen then ignore her if she screams. Tell her firmly she’s not getting out until she calms down. She seems smart enough to understand. Then go spend time with your other daughter. Once she’s calm she can come out. Acts up again she goes back in - just pick her up and put her in. When she does start playing nicely say after a few minutes you appreciate her doing so and if it continues you’ll do X (a favourite activity) or have X for dinner. Be sure to also reward your other daughter for playing nicely.

SomeoneYouLove · 29/05/2019 17:54

The cot. I’m going to use this for time out. This is my plan.

They were outside in the garden all morning. They have every bloody toy going for the garden. Water table. Sand pit. Slide. Playhouse. Then it started raining heavily. We went to the shops and the toddler fought the buggy the whole way round. Then we came home and it’s been carnage ever since.

They are currently in the bath and I’m sitting on the bathroom floor watching the youngest pour water out onto the floor. Counting down the minutes until DH gets home (he swears he’s on his way)

OP posts:
SomeoneYouLove · 29/05/2019 17:56

They watch some tv (well DD1 does. It holds DD2s attention for 30 secs) but I don’t want to start down the iPad route yet

OP posts:
WeedsAndMoss · 29/05/2019 17:56

Jeezo you need a break. Re-arrange furniture downstairs, even if it looks daft your sanity is worth more to fit a playpen, could have a travel cot that pops up during the day for the kitchen. . Stair gate at top and bottom. Harness style reins on too when necessary.

PivotPivotPivottt · 29/05/2019 17:58

I was just considering starting a thread myself. Just lost my shit with my 7 and 2 year old, first thing tomorrow I'm making a doctor's appointment. I've been kidding myself for too long that I'm coping fine but I'm not. It's hard it's shit and it's miserable.

GetUpAgain · 29/05/2019 17:59

Its really hard and you have loads of advice already. Just to add my youngest was a fucking nightmare at a tiny age too. She is now at high school and a lovely genius. Your toddler might well understand more that you would think so it is worth trying tactics for older children too. Hang on in there.

IntoValhalla · 29/05/2019 18:00

I feel your pain OP.
I have a 4yo, a 2.5yo and am pregnant with DC3.
My 4yo is incredibly needy - like she needs constant attention and validation, and if she doesn’t get it that instant she will revert back to dangerous behaviours that she knows will get her in trouble - the whole “any attention is good attention” malarkey.
The 2.5yo sounds very much like your youngest: absolutely fucking feral, with no sense of danger or consequence.
They have days where they are both an absolute delight to be with....but those days are few and far between at the moment.

Brew
SomeoneYouLove · 29/05/2019 18:13

Yes. I find if we go out for the day for example they are an absolute delight. But I don’t have the time or money to go out for the day every single day. Sometimes we need to be in the house.

OP posts:
CommonFishDiseases · 29/05/2019 18:16

I know this sounds useless (and feel free to ignore if it doesn't appeal) but look into the Gentle Discipline method by Sarah Ockwell-Smith. She has a book and FB page. You never know, it could work for you. Nothing to lose eh!

Also, using their bed/bedroom as an area of punishment can be counter productive.... however saying that, you should do what works for you and your sanity. Hang in there OP Flowers

SomeoneYouLove · 29/05/2019 18:21

How come it can be counter productive to use bed/bedroom as a punishment?

OP posts:
Ravingstarfish · 29/05/2019 18:22

Bedroom should be a place of calm, sleepy, comfort. If it’s a punishment child won’t want to go bed as will see it as a punishment every night

SomeoneYouLove · 29/05/2019 18:23

I see

OP posts:
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