Frustrated toddler. Want to bang my head against a wall

[twinkletits99]

I have tried tubs with water in. Messy play. Games on my phone. Drums. Reading books. Music. Long walks. Everything. Nothing is keeping him happy. He is constantly whining. Constantly unhappy and frustrated. I am going slowly insane and am starting to dread getting up in the morning. I can feel depression creeping in. I hate this. I completely understand why we are isolating but I fucking hate it and feel sick to my stomach knowing I have another day stuck at home. I don't know what I'm expecting from Mumsnet. I just don't know what to do.

How old is he ?

How old? What was his usual routine like?

@coffeeaddiction he's 17 months. Usually so happy. He's doesn't say anything yet and isn't very vocal but has been walking since 9 months. Has always been a handful but he's suddenly just miserable and frustrated all the time. It's probably nothing to do with lockdown and more a developmental thing, but lockdown makes it harder for me to cope with.

I understand. I have a just 2 year old (turned two on fri), a 4 month old and a 10 year old. 2 year old is the one I'm struggling with. It's relentless.

Can you take him for a long walk in the buggy? That used to help me at that age.

His routine is pretty good. Up around 7:30, play in bed for 30 mins (we cosleep), breakfast, play, snack, play, lunch, sleep, snack, play, dinner, quiet time, bed.

My almost 23 month old is the same. Much harder work than my 3 year old who will do duplo/puzzles etc.

Sympathy OP

Are you having to work from home at the same time? I'm not. My partner is "working" (Staring into space. Going on ebay. Facebook) while I literally am on the brink of leaping out a window. It's miserable

@daffodil1224 yes I'm working whilst he sleeps. I am a lone parent and his dad is not on the scene due to safeguarding issues

Try singing along to nursery rhymes. BBC nursery rhymes on YouTube are really good for tots and they're short enough to hold their attention too.
The 'That's Not My'....books work well as does making towers out of wooden blocks or paper/ plastic cups. Threading wool or pipe cleaners through a colander. And flash cards - either make your own or buy/download online.
For a half hour respite, bung Mr Tumble on the telly and get yourself a cuppa.
This too will pass OP.

We've been going for long walks. I have to avoid our local play park as of I walk past it he puts his arms out and screams for the swings (we used to go almost every morning) but can only do this once a day. I try to go after his nap to wear him out but he just tries to get out of the pram and screams until we get to a grassy area. Putting him back in the pram is pretty hellish. I am such a calm person. I've never once lost my temper at him and don't rise to any of it. Deep breaths is my favourite teen atm! So I have no idea why he is constantly so miserable.

I sympathise OP, mine son was very hard work at that age. He just didn’t like being inside and didn’t really play with anything
Is he very active? How about a mini trampoline? Something small he can ride?

He has a push car, and a tiny bike. He's incredibly active which I've always found really easy as you can just go to a soft play, local park etc and he's happy as Larry.

It's hard isn't it, I was really struggling and still am a bit, but I think I've just resigned myself to the fact it's a bit hellish. Does he like being in the pram? Can you do the walk when he is starting to get grouchy? Nursery rhymes on YouTube, a playpen in the garden and some toys in if you have a garden I've also found useful, because it gives me a change of scenery too.

Aww it's a shame we can't get out so much to those places right now. Maybe he's like a tunnel thing or something to climb in at home like cushions perhaps.

That age is awful. I remember it well. 🍷for you.

OP, it's a really tough age for keeping them amused. Agree with pp about cushions - we used to pile up the sofa cushions on the floor like a DIY soft play thing. Do you have stairs? Does he know how to climb them? Supervised stair climbing is nice and knackering. We also bought a small paddling pool and some ball pit balls to fill it - that worked quite well.

@twinkletits99 I remember that stage well, the thing that entertained him the most was using his legs! Hopefully this will be over soon

My son was a nightmare at the age and it was very difficult to handle him so i imagine it's way worse with lockdown ! I know it dosn't help at all but it's just a phase and he will get through it - it's just very difficult

It's so hard isn't it. We just had a massive meltdown this morning as well. You are doing the best you can in really difficult circumstances. hugs.

My DS is 2 and is exactly the same.. the thing that's kept him occupied the most I got blankets and he made a den with the cushions off the sofa he loved it climbing all over it like soft play. He also likes chalking on the floor outside. It's really hard. You have my sympathy it's tough for us but tough for them too. x

I’m with you!

I have a just turned 3yo.
She’s usually happy, lovely, chatty.

But since lockdown she’s turned into a moody, frustrated, demanding little miss.

She doesn’t understand why she’s not going to nursery (which she loves) or going to a park. Or going to see grandma, or going to a farm park.

She is bored of every toy we own.

Every day is a battle and by 7pm when she’s asleep I’m too exhausted to do anything yet still have to work from home 7.5 hours per day on top of all of this.

Things that have kept my 18 month old busy:
-Big piece of cardboard and crayons/pencils.
-Running around the garden.
-Digging in the vegetable bed.
-Pulling his blocks around.
-Playing ‘I spy’ (I say ‘something that looks like...’ and he finds the object)
-Books with an easy rhyming pattern (he likes to fill in missing words)
-Play dough (Sod the thread being angry about wasting flour, it kept my toddler entertained for over two hours)
Failing any of the above, an unreasonable amount of CBeebies.

Oh also, he’s developed the most unbearable scream when he doesn’t get his way. It’s not just you who’s struggling I promise!