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.

Do you have a garden? My DS is 19 months and a complete nightmare, he doesn’t ‘play’ with anything really. We’ve had to remove nearly all the furniture from the living room as he is obsessed with climbing/jumping. He was also walking very early so quite agile already. Our saving grace is the garden. I let him out and he just digs/runs around/scoots. Failing that just throw biscuits at them 🤣. If no garden try mixing up the walk, perhaps go in the morning instead? Then you might find you feel more relaxed to tackle the afternoon after his nap. Could you let him ‘walk’ for the duration of the walk? Let’s face it we’re not in a rush at the moment! Do you have reins to keep him close? I do feel for you it’s a tough age, I have two older DC who play with him occasionally so I get a chance to have tea/make lunch etc.

In the Night Garden and Peppa Pig
Mini trampoline (one with a handle, if you can get one)

I would also suggest trying some Calpol as a test to see if it helps - if so that suggests there is a physical cause. Could he be getting first molars? Ear infection?

Have you tried a late afternoon bath? Put lots of toys in and just sit on the toilet and watch him. I used to do this with ds3 when he was this age. He was unbearable until he started school and if he'd been my first I would never have had another one. I found it passed an hour or so quite well before tea time.

We played hide and seek with his soft toys today, killed a lot of time and I'm going to use all the hiding places for an egg hunt later in the week so he knows where to look. He's two and I've a two month old, paw patrol features heavily in my day.

Yes to afternoon bath, also gave him a whisk so he could create bubbles

www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/163-things-home-kids-during-18020482

There might be something in this lot

I've found rotating toys helps so there's not too much to play with in one go- does require storage and is a bit of a ballache to do though.
My DS loves emptying and filling so jugs, bottles and things like pompoms or rice/lentils.
Aquadoodle mat
Obstacle course from cushions
Balls - DS used to love chasing after balls round the house (think he's part puppy)
Falling that I usually do the hoovering, which he loves, and put cbeebies on.

It's 4 am , my 4 year old is watching bloody blippi have tried for hours to get him to sleep but after waking both of his siblings I've give in for an easy life he's been up until the early.hours every day for around 2 weeks , I'm so tired and I'l have to get up with my eldest 2 due to the fact that even though they usually mostly get on they are fighting constantly, I'm calling it this pandemic has turned most children into stroppy non sleeping arseholes ! Don't worry they can't hear me calling them arseholes on here it's all good 👍