anyone else got a 1yo that can't stay still (not even for a second...)?

[dolster]

I have a lovely DD (14mo). Since she was born she's been unable to stay still. I don't think she has ever sat on my lap for more than 30 seconds. She is just constantly on the go and always has been. When she was tiny she didn't really like to be held, she just wanted to lie on her back or in her bouncy chair kicking her little legs. Now that she's walking it's just exhausting - when we go to playgroups or to see friends, she is the one toddler that is constantly running around, trying to escape through doors. In fact, she is so active that I now avoid taking her to friends houses as I spend my whole time chasing her around so it just seems pointless. I adore her but my back is killing me, I'm exhausted and I feel like I'm losing control of my little one - anyone else feel my pain?!

Do you have a garden? If you do, get it toddler proofed and get her out in it as much as possible.

I have 3 DS who were like this (and a new baby whos developing in the same way). I was able to just open the back door and let them run wild in the garden. Pop up tents, ride on toys watering cans and a sand pit will provide hours of activity. Hopefully it will tire her out a bit too.

Also, toddler restraint (round wrist or on backpack), is a must - it will keep her safe and save your back.

I do!
But it is my 2nd like that, both climbers and explorers, so I a bit "that is life, it will pass" about it.
You won't have a normal conversation for at least 2 years.
What makes it easier, is to give her total freedom in the park (at least 1h/day usually 2 or 3), I know it is a lot but otherwise she is too active and I am to tired to tried to stop her climbing, running, rolling in mud or.....
I let her jump on my bed to make her tired at home (my mum would have a heart attack if she knew) and she is now walking up our 4 flights of stairs. Obstacle course on cushions and pillows is also very good as is a good play struggle with big sister (or dad or me.)

I don't have playgroups here but with DD2, I just let her be (just intervening when dangerous or naughty), same at friends house, both should be baby proof so you can let her. The more you do it the more she will get used to not touching everything or climbing everything when in a new environment.

DD1 (16 months) never walks she runs all the time. I am the crazy mum following her around in the park . She is also very tall so has no problems going up climbing frames and ladders and slides and, like her sister, she is also trying on trees
Some people have children, I have monkeys/puppies...
good luck!

Gah! I mixed my numbers DD1 was in playgroups and DD2 is 16 months

When DS1 who was like this was little, I could tell if he was ill because he stopped moving around and sat in one place for longer than a few seconds.

It's kind of the same now (he's 22!) but it has changed into him liking to be out doing stuff and he still gets bored easily. Got up at 6 am until he was about 14 when the teenage sleepy thing hit.

I do! She is one next week, and in the last 24 hours has thrown herself off of the couch and pulled a cup of tea over herself at the toddler group. I can't take my eye off her for a second, she is fab but the liveliest of livewires!!

I console myself that she sleeps fantastically well, so I do get a couple of hours a day to myself.

She is just getting to the walking stage so I am sure it is all about to get much much worse.

Now, why didn't I go back to work????

thanks everyone! it's nice to know i'm not the only one with a toddler who bounces off the walls. oldmum we don't have garden which makes things a bit more claustrophobic...
leMousquetaire do you notice that your older DD is still very active or has she calmed down a bit? And Foxy - i'm also blessed in that she's a great sleeper - probably because she's physically exhausted by lunchtime and then again by the end of the day! My DD has only just started to walk but she's so excited by this new development that she can't quite contain her desire to experiment with it in every which way she can - we've had so many tumbles, cuts, bruises, you name it, in the the last week ....

DD1 has calm down, she is very active but focused, at least one hour in the park is for her too, she does ballet almost every day and walked to school most of the way. She does watch TV but can't stay still, she climb over the sofa, jump, dance, wiggle... But she is fine at school, and can sit to draw etc ...

Both DDs are quite good sleepers too. But DD2 was moving a lot in her sleep until recently.

Our son is exactly the same. He has never kept still for any length of time, and literally as soon as he was awake he would be bouncing in his cot and not keep still until he was asleep again.

The only thing I did that helped was to accept that is how he is and will never be the 'sitting in the library looking at a book quietly' type - he is an absolute whirlwhind. Maybe try and get her out and about as much as possible, parks, walks, softplay areas, playgroups and more parks and walks. Don't avoid these situations because she runs off etc because otherwise she won't be able to burn off the energy she has.

As soon as Alfie could walk at 15 months he refused point blank to get in his buggy and hasn't stopped yet!

PLaygroups are great because they are with other children and see what they are doing - and even though like yourself, I had an escapee at playgroups, he eventually realised that it was more fun to play with the children rather than running away from them.

Alfie is 4 now and can't imagine he'll ever change, nor would I want him to now I know that's just how he is. He wakes at 6 and is non stop chatter and running around until bed at 7pm - he is exhausted by then! Got another boy due in 3 weeks and everyone jokes / teases that he will be the same as Alfie and I'll be grey within a year!

As I write this Alfie is dashing around playing with his toys and teasing the kitten!! Hard work at times, but I wouldn't change it for the world. Some points of motherhood are certainly not as I imagined them to be when I was pregnant first time around, but I just had to adapt my expectations and sometimes it's just easier and better to leave Alfie as he is - after all, you can't change the nature of a beast!

"As soon as Alfie could walk at 15 months he refused point blank to get in his buggy and hasn't stopped yet! "

Oh god, I can see this happening already and she can't even walk yet.

Pass the

My DD (now 2yo) was/is exactly the same! She is quite physical and luckily very agile and well coordinated. She is a big climber and a runner. She literally learned to climb first and than to walk! I call her little octopus as she would grab stuff around her in no time. What gives me piece of mind a bit is that she seems not to be too hasty in her adventures (at least for a 2yo), but still you need to keep an eye on her all the time because you can't really rely on a judgment of a toddler.

What is important IME is to let her try and explore most of the stuff she attempts to because that type of children needs to learn things themselves and then they will sort all the things they learned in their little heads and classify them as interesting/not interesting/useful/not useful/fast track to give mum heart attack/ etc. Once they do that, you can be quite sure they learned (most of it) for good. Of course, there is a limit to that freedom, doing something that would put them in jeopardy is absolutely out of the question even for learning experience.

And it gets better with time. I can see the difference compared when she was 1 yo. She is still quite physical, but now it's more in an articulated and focused way. TBH, I like her being like that because it is accompanied by an equally curious and exploratory personality.

My 18mo is the same, been walking since 10.5mo and not kept still ever since. Unless he's asleep. Which he does beautifully!