Where did she go?

[Tantrumcity]

Name changed for this

I have a 26 month old Dd and just wanted to check if her behaviour is normal ‘Terrible two’s’ type behaviour or not.
She used to be a fairly easy, happy, calm girl.
She’s sort of hyper the majority of the time, generally throws strops over the littlest things, many of which don’t even make sense. She’s really hard to get to nap or sleep and night. She spends a lot of the day if we’re inside just chucking her toys around, climbing on the sofa.
I make sure we’re out for walks with the dog most days or on her pushbike, seeing friends, shopping, park etc and she spends a lot of the time running in the garden.
She’s just completely non stop and I’m finding I’m thinking more and more about wanting to go back to work full time, just to get a break.
I’m feeling pretty overwhelmed and miserable at the moment.
Is this a normal level of activity and behaviour? How long does this last?

[Tantrumcity]

I could try yoga, if she’ll stay still long enough 😂
She’s just so angry these days, so impatient and cross, not satisfied with anything

[Thelnebriati]

That was DS, he went from being a couch potato to hyperactive. He never napped, he got up early and went to bed late and he didn't stop talking all day long, just one long stream of consciousness as if he were commentating on his own life. He announced everything he did.

I think the tantrums were mostly frustration that he couldn't express himself as well as he wanted, his ideas were ahead of his language skills. I explained that I couldn't understand what he wanted, and asked him to help me understand, to point and use one word. That cut down the number of tantrums but it did sometimes end up with him pointing and shouting ''there, that''.

He got himself into some potentially dangerous situations, he would run away on impulse. He nearly drowned by running into a swimming pool, he ran away and hid when we were in a shopping center. I bought a set of reins.
Eventually he grew out of it. I think nursery and school helped a lot.

[CoodleMoodle]

My DS is the same age and can be a nightmare at the moment! He's just dropped his nap which doesn't help, but he's exhausting at times. He never stops moving, or talking. He started speaking clearly around his birthday, after previously having very little speech, and cannot be switched off at all. He repeats everything we say, and indeed everything he says, multiple times... He has endless energy, which converts into over excitement when he's actually tired, and then he's even worse! He can be sweet and affectionate and lovely, but he's hard work. Starting preschool in January age 2.5 and I cannot wait. We have to pay for it but it'll be worth every penny.

I don't remember DD being like this, apart from the nonstop talking, which she still does now at 6! She was/is very advanced with speech but not so interested in the physical side of things, so not quite so energetic. But I think she just skipped the terrible twos and went straight on to being a stroppy, know it all threenager. Not sure which is worse!

[WaxOnFeckOff]

At that age DS2 was the same. Also known as the tantrum king, would bang his head on the pavement if we were going in a different direction to where he wanted, would argue black was white (he was an early talker). We went on holiday with friends who had a lovely gentle girl about 2 months older and DS1 who was 13 months older and was again calm and gentle and DS2 who would run off in any direction as soon as his feet touched the ground. Friend just looked astonished the whole time at how uncontrollable he was.

Amyway, he calmed a little but was fairly full on until he hit puberty (thankfully about age 11) when he totally calmed down and became the most easy going teenager ever. He's 19 now and loving and caring and laid back.

There is hope OP and maybe you'll get your relief sooner than we did.

Luckily DS1 remained quiet and calm and gentle, folk generally say you either get it bad when they are toddlers or teenagers.

[Tantrumcity]

@CoodleMoodle Dd sounds so similar! She started to speak in full sentences months ago and my mum thinks she’s advanced in that respect, but she never shuts up either! It’s a running commentary from the minute she wakes until she nods off 😂I can cope with that and even the high energy but now the moods and meltdowns have come in..it’s a lot

[keeprocking]

It's a very long time ago for me now but one thing I do recall. Daughter 2 wouldn't nap if she was put into her cot but she would happily fall asleep anywhere else, behind the sofa, on her big cushion etc. and she then had a really good sleep, irrespective of what was going on round her. I just left her to decide when and where!

[FoxtrotSkarloey]

My son is the same age and exactly like this. I've even been wondering if he has ADHD. (Two cousins have it so it's in the family)

[TitsOutForHarambe]

Sounds like mine. She's nuts. So I vote normal.

[CoodleMoodle]

@TantrumCity

Yep! We have tantrums about everything. EVERYTHING. Only yesterday he was furious because his puzzle piece was upside down and wouldn't fit, because he couldn't line his cars up how he wanted them, because it was dinner time (he loves food!), because his sister tried to hug him, because I read the word he pointed to in his book, because I didn't understand what he was saying when he was screaming (turned out he wanted a snack)... It just goes on and on.

I think some of it is because, despite being able to speak and communicate a lot of their wants and needs, they're still not QUITE there and they get frustrated instantly because they have zero patience. Well, DS has less than zero patience, tbh!

[WaxOnFeckOff]

My DH was a stay at home dad to nightmare DS2 and his 13 month older brother. I often worked away for a few days at a time leaving him with them 24/7 as we had no family and friends nearby.

His strategy for peace was to go for a drive till they fell asleep, park up, recline his seat and have a nap. The local sports centre had a creche, he'd book them in for an hour (they loved it) and then get a coffee and read his paper in the cafe in perfect peace.

[BumbleFlump]

My dd is the same, especially with regards to chucking toys and sleep. It’s relentless 😬

If your dd does have a touch of ADHD then a regular routine should help. As someone said further up thread, it’s also all about managing hunger and tiredness.

Also, how much time do you spend on you phone etc? I’ve started to realise lately just how much time on my phone and think all the toy throwing etc could be just because she desperate for my attention.