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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

My baby is driving me crazy !

24 replies

Mrswhiskerson · 13/05/2011 18:05

My ds is eleven months , he is into everything! Everything he can't have he wants he has all the toys in the world and wants the fire/plugs/DVDs.
He is also doing things on purpose that he shouldn't he will look at us and bite or nip or pull hair and when we say no no or ah ah he repeats it and thinks it is a game . Also he cam climb out of everything so I am constantly running around after him and I don't get five mins to go to the loo.
And now he has just ripped the magazine I haven't read yet !!!
Is this normal ? I have pretty much no experiance of babies and don't know what to do , help !

OP posts:

HumphreyCobbler · 13/05/2011 18:08

I think it is entirely normal if my two were anything to go by.

OnlyWantsOne · 13/05/2011 18:08

Sounds normal.

You should try setting some boundaries and being consistent so he learns what is expected of him.

If he hurts you and you tell him off and he does it gain and again for reaction I would say No and put him away from you, or turn your back so he doesn't get to look at you and do he very cute naughty grin

ellangirl · 13/05/2011 18:09

Yes, it is normal! Get a big playpen so you can go to the loo. Keep out of the house as much as possible so it stays semi tidy! Try not to say no, but distract him with something else. Accept that you do not have time to read a magazine unless he is asleep! Breathe deeply.....

thisisyesterday · 13/05/2011 18:09

haha yes, it's normal, and it gets worse the more mobile/taller/cleverer they get

tis exhausting isn't it?

Lambskin · 13/05/2011 18:09

Do you have a play pen, stair gates and those socket covers from Mothercare? Containment is the key. Clear breakables to a higher level. This is SO normal. Years of fun await you.

valiumredhead · 13/05/2011 18:10

Just move everything out of the way - don't waste your energy.

HecateQueenOfTheNight · 13/05/2011 18:13

yes. It's normal.

Welcome to parenthood.

You just need to have eyes in your arse and be on top of it. Make sure there's nothing dangerous so that he can wander around safely.
re the biting etc - well, that takes time. Don't expect to tell him once and then think something is wrong or it's the wrong approach if it doesn't work. Expect to have to do it over and over and over again before he gets it.

Take his hands, put them to his sides, look him in the eye and say calmly and firmly "no biting" (or whatever he's done) if he does it again, restrain him again and repeat.

get a playpen with high sides (i promise you he can't climb out of one of those!). I loved mine. If I needed the kids to stay put for a few minutes - in they went. If I was cooking, playpen in the kitchen so they were safe and I could chatter to them while I cooked.

Don't run round after him. Make your home baby proof. In the early years, I had no ornaments, no nothing. The kids could run round all they liked and nothing could happen to them.

AgentZigzag · 13/05/2011 18:13

I would say it's normal.

I've got a 16 MO who's also into everything, for me the key is to say the same thing in the same way every time he does something you don't want him to.

DD's got to the point where she's shaking her head with a twinkle in her eye when she goes near her sisters wii remotes and not touching them

You could try putting some of your things that he can have around the house, so if he goes on a plug or whatever, just tell him no and give him something he'll find interesting to replace the plug.

It does get a bit wearing, but just be persistent and he'll start to cotton on with just a few things, and then you can build on that.

He's only 11 months, so plenty of time for him to get in some serious mischieving yet

AgentZigzag · 13/05/2011 18:14

Oh, and I'm not sure he'd really know at 11 months that he's not allowed to do stuff and so be doing it on purpose.

It's all a game and exploring at that age.

yomellamoHelly · 13/05/2011 18:17

Sounds pretty normal. My solution has been to wear them out. Out in the morning to playgroups / shopping. Then park in afternoon generally. Other than that just consistency on enforcing rules. Is very dull stage.

BlackSwan · 13/05/2011 18:28

You wait till he's walking!

Gingefringe · 13/05/2011 18:37

Yes, 'tis normal I'm afraid. My friend told me 'you don't even have time for a shit once you've had a baby' - how true.
Wait until you have a newborn and a 2 year old to contend with!

PatriciaHolm · 13/05/2011 19:31

Yep, he's exploring his environment in the only ways he can. It's normal as will continue for a while yet. Though if he's biting/pulling hair, just remove his hair and say No, that hurts, please don't. You'll have to repeat it a lot but he'll get it eventually!

PatriciaHolm · 13/05/2011 19:32

Remove his hand, obviously, not his hair. Not sure that would work

gkys · 13/05/2011 19:40

its normal, but it gets better I was told having one baby is wonderful, having two is like having a naughty pet, having three is like running a zoo, we have three under five and loving it get yourself a babycage playpen,

AgentZigzag · 13/05/2011 19:44

I found it's easier when they're walking black (well...in a way, if you take out the work it creates trying to keep an eye on them ) because like yomella says, you can wear them into the ground just getting them out of the pushchair walking along side you.

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 13/05/2011 19:46

Don't get socket covers!

PinkToeNails · 13/05/2011 20:04

Vey normal.

My DD (17 months) likes to scratch my face. If I say "no" to her she thinks it's hilarious so I've started to move her away from me. Hopefully she will get the message.

OnlyWantsOne · 13/05/2011 20:27

After all we say "no" Bevause we know what it means. They don't yet!!

BlackSwan · 13/05/2011 20:29

OldLady - apparently the advice re socket covers really depends on how old your sockets are.

JoniRules · 13/05/2011 20:31

My DD2 is the same. Loves ripping up paper, she has so many toys but she likes taking out the earth out of the plant pots, emptying out all my drawers, opening cupboards, playing with her 4 yr old brother's teeny tiny playmobil toys. And in particular if she sees the bathroom door open, she really quickly crawls in, fast as lightening and loves nothing better than pulling herself up on the toilet!!

DaisySteiner · 13/05/2011 20:33

He think it's a game because it is! He does something, he gets an interesting reaction, he does it again, he gets another reaction. Don't react and distract him with something else.

hairfullofsnakes · 13/05/2011 20:34

Very very normal

Try reading 'toddler taming' and 'the baby whisperer for toddlers' - useful reading

And sorry but it gets worse! I find the ages between 11mths and 2.5 years very hard

controlpantsandgladrags · 13/05/2011 20:35

yes normal. We dealt with it by putting half our posessions in boxes in the loft. Socket covers were rendered completely useless once DD1 got to about 18 months and learned how to pull them out. She's now 3 and can open stair gates, which is really great when you also have a fearless 15 month old

Re biting/hair pulling etc, all you can do is keep repeating "no". He will get it eventually. Have you got a travel cot you could use as an impromptu playpen? It would at least be somewhere to put him while you go to the loo. I just take DD2 with me everywhere but it would be nice to have some privacy!

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