AIBU to find having an 18 month old relentless ?

[tryingtobebrilliant]

I thought ( before I had a DC ) that I wasn't a baby person. I said I was looking forward to the walking and the start of taking phase.

Noooooooo I take it all back. I loved the baby bit and this toddler is irrational, moody, won't keep still and is exhausting. He won't nap when he's obviously tired. He throws most of his meals on the floor and laughs about it. Nappy changes are only allowed if YouTube is deployed.

When I tell him 'No' he wags his finger at me ( I don't do this, but he's got it from somewhere)

And no he does not want to read a book, play with any of his toys or sleep. He wants to try to open the front door, chase the dogs, stand in the dog water and spend his time going out of the room I'm in. Of course if I dare leave room myself wahhhhhhhhhhh.

DS is 18 months. I think I'm cracking and I've not even got to terrible twos or threeanger.

[ZanyMobster]

Yep I felt the same. Was hard work and sometimes I just wanted to drink a cup of coffee warm which just never happened.

Thought that was all behind me as DCs are older now but just got 2 kittens, they are 12 weeks old and they are like toddlers on speed. Only upside is that they sleep lots!

[Roomster101]

It all depends on the child and the parent. I found it much easier than the baby stage as I was getting more sleep and my children were much more interactive which for me made the days more interesting.

[Liskee]

DS1 is nearly 3, DS2 is 15 months. Yesterday I'd cheerfully have sent them both back with the stork

DS1 is a major handful every day. MIL advises he's a carbon copy of DH behaviour wise and we should see an improvement once he goes to school. DF advises he's just like me at that age and we should see an improvement once he gets his own way. I fear he's going to be the one that spirals me into everlasting gin and salted caramel binges.

DS2 is mostly a delight. We're just trying to keep him away from DS1 so he doesn't learn anything from him. Yesterday has me worried it's not working.

In summary, I feel your actual pain. YANBU.

[fairygarden]

My DD is 19 months and I am enjoying this part the most!

However I am totally with you on ‘no’ being said a lot and tears if she can’t go outside/have a biscuit etc. I just give her a cuddle normally and it stops or distract her.

It’s a very cheeky time at the moment

[JaneEyre70]

My eldest DD was hell on legs as a toddler. She turned the gas cooker on once in the kitchen, I had to ring the Gas board as I thought we had a leak and was having a mad panic. The engineer arrived and went straight to the cooker, and took the plastic plates that DD had put in the oven before she switched it on .
She now has 3 DC of her own, and was in floods of tears at the weekend as the older 2 (4 and 2) had found a roll of sellotape while she was washing up and had put it all over her newly papered wall in the hallway....then found that it brought the wallpaper off , so they'd literally pulled strips of it off. She was so cross because her whole house is filled with toys and crap for them that holds no attraction whatsoever!!
The toddler part was the bit I found the hardest. With my last 2, there was nothing they could do that was worse than DD1 so I was much more relaxed about it all. It will get better .

[LeavesinAutumn]

Jane I have to say wall papering or any house decoration with young dc is a foolish move better to leave it till they hit a more civilized age. dd1 was not easy but much more manageable than dd2. thankfully we are rapidly growing out of it.

[LilyRose16]

I could have written your post. My 19 month old DD is the best but most tiring thing to ever happen to me! Some days it's relentless and I find myself saying please just hurry up and grow up, then I feel guilty for wishing the time away. Some days are just so hard when you have very little family support and no one to turn to. We are both working full time and there just aren't enough hours in the day for everything.

She has also started waking at night time screaming for milk, sometimes it takes over an hour to get her back to sleep. Those nights are hard. I always said 1-2 would be the hardest age and I wasn't wrong. But I love her personality so much at the same time so it's bittersweet!

[hannah1992]

I have to dds 6 and 21 months. Dd1 a pleasure as a baby/toddler. Didn't know I had her. She slept like a dream from 3 months old, she was perfectly happy to either play with someone or play alone. She would watch tv. She never tantrumed ever. Then she turned 3. And the horns grew. It was like a light switch. Tantrums and screaming and now she's 6 and has the attitude of a teenager. She's so cheeky!
Dd2 sleeps well mostly but has the worst tantrums ever. Always tells me no. When you say something to her she says "what" even though she knows what you've said. Currently going through the I don't want to sit in my buggy stage. So school is a 20 min round trip walking. She gets there ok walking but coming back she gets tired and keeps sitting on the floor so when you try to put her in the buggy she screams blue murder and fights. Ok well we will walk then, no we won't because yet again she's sat on the floor saying "tired"!
Yes it's frustrating and I completely agree with you.

[CherryChasingDotMuncher]

I found 12 months - 2 years by far the hardest bit. Give me a grumpy toddler or screaming newborn any day. It gets better

[MrsCharlieD]

I think 18months to 3 is relentless. I really thought things would get better at 3 but now we have tantrums with actual words and sometimes he can be do hurtful with those words. Having a baby had a doddle. Im due any day with ds2 and people can't believe how calm I am about having the baby; that's because a baby is so easy in comparison! They're portable and stay where you put them and sleep a lot.

[Mustang27]

Google living with toddler memes they will put your mind at rest and give you a laugh. It’s bloody hard I’m due my second and questioning why iv brought this all on myself lol.,

[alarox]

Could have written every word of your OP and subsequent posts. Except we had DD when DS was 20 months. Obviously I love them both but it is hard, and I'm mostly too tired to be the mum I imagined pre kids. I keep reminding myself it will pass, I will sleep again one day, and yes to a pp's idea of videoing the worst bits! I'm hoping I'll see the funny side when I rewatch in years to come (and wonder how the fuck I coped)

[mrsnec]

It is hard but it does get better. My dd has just turned 3 and will quite happily occupy herself for short spaces of time.

18 month old ds just wants to destroy everything. Everything we toddler proofed he's managed to get into. He is a meanace and I agree entirely with Alarox.

[blackteasplease]

Worst bit for me too. Hang in there!

[PsychoPumpkin]

My youngest two are 10 months & just turned 2 and the baby is definitely the easier one. I love my monkey toddler to pieces but he is EXHAUSTING.

[Bejeena]

I don't think it gets fully better until 4. 18 months is bad but honestly when they are 2.5 and can fully communicate (and really yell) then you'll long for the 18 month old back. But it does get better eventually just maybe a little worse too.

It is relentless my youngest is 18 month but honestly compared to my oldest at 3 he is a dream

[Anatidae]

Totally normal. Sometimes I wonder if he’s part of the MK Ultra project...

[Booagain]

Ah! I'm so glad I found you all! DS is 22 months and is a tornado. Doesn't eat anything I give him, loves 'no', loves being carried though I'm 8 months pregnant and throws a hissy when I say he can't, loves tipping things out and then throwing them, leaving them when I ask him to tidy away. I am exhausted by this phase!!!

[Magicnumbers]

YANBU. It's bloody hard work- they are on the go all the time, need lots of supervision and attention, are trying to express themselves but can't, and often cannot be reasoned with.

I am through this stage with my DCs. I suddenly realised when they were all around 2 1/2 that it just got much easier. I mean, loads easier. I finished a cup of tea while it was still warm. I had time to sit down! I could cook again with using the microwave.

It gets easier, but go easy on yourself. As one pp said, probably best to pick your battles and drop what you can from the chores. I did. My kids had terrible table manners but always said please and thank you. I didn't iron anything, and the DCs hair was never neat. But by cutting out a bit of stress here and there it definitely helped me to cope better and enjoy the fun bits, particularly once they started talking. Like when they come to cuddle you and tell you they love you, just because they feel like it.

I'll say it again- this stage is really hard work and YANBU.

Xx

[Rainatnight]

God. My DD is 16 months and I'm now shitting myself about what's going to hit us in 8 weeks

[Gudgyx]

I hear ya!

My DD is just over 2.5 now, but my god she is hard work. She is very independent, and I normally just let her get on with things as long as she's not hurting herself or anyone else. DP is a lot more strict with her though.

It's the constant talking that is ruining my mind. She talks from the minute she wakes up until the minute she goes to bed. Then she sings herself to sleep. My poor ears!!

[liz70]

I remember once being home (DH at work) with DD1,12 months, getting some food ready for her. I was 5 months pregnant with DD2, and had pregnancy sickness. I just suddenly and uncontrollably spewed everywhere, all over the kitchen cupboard doors, floors, etc. While all the time DD1 just sat in her high chair screeching for food. So I had to give her food and then of course clear up all the vom.

Fun times.

[MessyBun247]

18 months is hard by all accounts! Fully mobile, climbing, jumping, running, exploring, very short attention span, zero patience, very limited language, extremely destructive and messy.....tiring!

It does get easier about 2-2.5.

[tryingtobebrilliant]

Oh my it's a long time to wait until it gets better! Today DS is taking a second nap hooray ! I feel like a new women. I'm sure he won't sleep tonight, but hey what can I do?

How do you cope when they stop napping all together? Even 20 minutes is a rest. That only happens when they go to school please tell me that's true ?

Feel mean wishing time away. My DS is gorgeous and clever but then I mainly think that when he's sleeping !

[fairygarden]

I do sometimes give in. Hence me being on a wet trampoline in the back garden at 17:30 with DD 18 months. Oh and the cat was on there too.