Is your toddler really hard work?

[mydemontoddler]

Do other people find their toddlers as tough as I do? I see so many people at the shops just pushing prams with toddlers or walking along side them. Not screaming or throwing themselves around or ripping their shoes off in the middle of the shops like mine. Won't sit in the stroller, tries to run away constantly, throws a strop if he can't do what he wants.

Is it just me? What am I doing wrong? Toddler is 2.5

Ours is also 2.5 and we're just starting to turn a corner in terms of behaviour. I cannot count the amount of times I've strode out of somewhere carrying a screaming human weapon.

My son has just turned 2 and I feel like all I do is tell him off at the moment. I often envy the docile looking toddlers napping in prams quietly!

My toddler is 2 years 8 months and is now great fun to spend time with out and about. However, for about four months after his second birthday he was a nightmare, had a lot of tantrums and I used to dread going anywhere because it nearly always ended in tears. I'm hoping he's grown out of the worst of it (but has never been docile and refuses to ever get in a buggy!).

My son is only one but very hard work!! He has to grab EVERYTHING. Except for his toys. And will not sit still for a moment. Anddd we were up at 430 am because of the light (we're staying at my parents' house this weekend - not child proofed and no blackout blinds).

I’m on my third toddler.

Shes 22 months and if she was my first, I would have stopped at one child 😄

My middle child, she was a dream toddler, but my eldest, he was sent to try me too, although not as badly as his little sister. I have huge age gaps though, so I forgot how it can be!

It doesn’t last forever.

It's not you! My toddler is very well behaved and there's no special trick to it, it's just her personality. Having said that when she does have a tantrum she responds really well to the gentle parenting thing of 1. Acknowledge feelings eg. You're really upset that we have to leave softplay 2. Hold boundary eg. We're going to leave now 3. Divert attention with a positive choice eg. What would you like to do when we get home? Play with paints?

In the shops I do use bribery to make her sit nicely - if she's good she can choose a snack to eat in the car on the way home. I think some kids are just difficult with their tantrums though and much harder to manage. They all have their difficulties - my daughter didn't sleep more than 2 hours regularly until she was about 18 months!

My toddler is delightful when out in public.

At home he is an absolute demon

Do not be fooled by the well behaved toddlers you see in the shops!

My third is my only child who has ever done the classic, “throw your self backwards on the floor with great force and kick and scream” type tantrum though.

They are a sight to behold! and trying to calm or distract her just makes her more upset . Nothing you can do until she suddenly stops and will have a cuddle like nothing happened.

I’m that mum who just sits there and watches while people tut and no doubt judge me to be the worlds worst parent.