to be so rubbish at this toddler stuff?

[stinkypants]

i am really struggling with my 23mo DS1. He is brilliant and wondrous to me in so many ways, but is getting more and more naughty, whingy, whiney, disobedient, wilful... as i write i KNOW you'll say this is normal and will get better with time, but i am so worried that i do not have the patience for this and that i just make it worse by showing my annoyance to him.. he laughs then and seems to try to deliberatley wind me up. the whinging is probably the worst thing. he asks for something and then just whinges and whinges if he cant have it. i stick to my guns and he still whinges. where am i going wrong??????????????? i have a 3 mont old as well, so i know a lot of the attention seeking is triggered by that - e.g. it is faqr worse while i am feeding ds2.

Ah, bless you. YABU for thinking you are rubbish, but YANBU for thinking that toddlers are bloody hard work.

It may not be much comfort now, but it does get easier as they get older. The whinging stage will pass!

Learn the power of planned ignoring

I find flicking through a magazine when they are on the floor screaming "mummymummymummymummynonononono" adds a certain dramatic flair.

When they stop screaming (even if it's just to draw breath), pile in with praise for being quiet.

If it doesn't work, you can always audition for an extra role on Eastenders.

Oh yes the whining, I hate the whining. Distraction works sometimes. Ds can whine for Scotland though he is nearly 4!

thanks :o

I hate the whining too! I also have a toddler ( turns 3 on monday) and 3 month old ( plus a 5 year old but shes at school all day)

I can now explain to him that I won't listen until he uses his big boy words and that if he wont then he can go and sit in the hallway.( effectively time out)

I don't think this would work with such a young one though and the whining is so annoying!!! I guess time out works for me as it removes him from me for long enough for me to take a breath and be reasonable( me not him)this is not and easy feat when sleep deprived