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My little boy (nearly 2) is very difficult and I'm not coping

44 replies

xnashax · 21/10/2013 16:10

My son is nearly 2 but Is very forward for his age, his behavior is out of control, he punches kicks headbutts,screams all day long sometimes for no particular reason,he destroys everything in my home even though he has my full attention 24/7.
I have tried everything, time out/naughy corner etc, smacking his leg, taking toys away, talking it through with him, giving him his own space to take out his anger in etc...I have given every method time and tried again and agin with each and nothing works
We've bourght hundreds of pounds worth of toys he doesn't touch, I try sitting with him everyday drawing, painting, jigsaws, books etc and he's not interested for more than 5 seconds he just wants to go outside
As a result we go out eveyday even when I've been vomitting and ill we've had to go out because he refuses to stay in the house and smashes things in anger and attacks me and throws things at me, he's not interested in telly or films (he'll watch a bit of cbeebies)
He's throws food and drink all over the house and if put him in a highchair refuses to eat and throws it on the floor and is so stubborn he'd starve rather than be strapped in!, he will not leave my side and always has to be sitting on me and climbing on me, he dictates everything and its becoming impossible to cook and clean or even wash with him around because he will start getting things out of the cupboard or start throwing thing at me etc. He gets up all throughout the night countless times and then gets up at 7/8 I get no time to myself or with my partener, who helps as much as he can but works 6 days a week 9am till 6pm and doesn't get back until 7.30pm, he is working and still doing most of the cleaning and sometimes the cooking he's exhausted and its put a massive strain on our relashionship he is very understanding and wonderful and I feel awful for him as he does so much and my son is not even his child but weve been together since my son was 6 months and I've known him many years, I feel like a failure I have set a routine for my son and have always tried to stick to it I have been patient with him but I'm sick of shouting and end up pleading with him to behave or reduced to tears, I am mentally and physically exhaustesd and have become so depressed I dread waking up everyday and sometimes sob at night just thinking it,

I cannot work, take up a hobby and have long given up on freinds as he is just such hard work, I feel alone constantly, and the constant stress Is making me ill with chronic migrains, high anxiety and deep depression
We cannot afford childcare and it'll be another year before he is intitle to any nursery time and I'm realy not shure what to do next as I am not coping and have even thourght about ringing social services a few times as I feel I am failing, my son is always bathed and fed etc but i have given up on cutting/washing my hair regularly etc and always look a mess I can't even brush my teeth with him shouting and trying to take the toothbrush so I just give up most days,
My Family are unable to help and my mum tells me I have post natal depression and I'm the problem but I don't see my family often they very rarely look after my son and have never been to my home or seen his behavior around me. My partener firmly disagrees with this also but it makes me feel I have no support what so ever, I am depressed because my situation seems hopeless and noone can help me everyday is a battle and I realy don't knoe what to do next :( x

OP posts:
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blondieminx · 22/10/2013 18:13

Erm, DoItNicely I appreciate you're trying to help the OP but I'm not entirely sure that making a diagnosis of depression over the Internet without seeing the lady and you know, having medical/counselling qualifications (which you didn't mention) is the most sensitive and supportive way to actually help eh?

JuliaScurr · 22/10/2013 18:15

you're not doing anything wrong, it's just really hard sometimes
Young Minds are really helpful; I'm always recommending them

wakemeupnow · 22/10/2013 18:24

Op.. sorry you are having such a hard time. My Ds 1 was incredibly hard work as a toddler and for that matter still is. So I could really sympathise and relate to your post.

I never had a formal diagnosis but I am sure my Ds has some form of ADHD. I subsequently had 2 other dc and they were so easy in comparison. Don't blame yourself here. I would definitely go see your doctor or health visitor and insist he has an assesment. This could really help him and you to understand where this behaviour is coming from and hopefully give you some strategies for moving forward.

LadyGoodman · 22/10/2013 21:03

Op that sounds terrifying my DS was 22mo today and though he can be challenging it is nothing like what you've described.

You need to see your gp for both of you as what you're describing doesn't sound within the realms of normal.

I hope things get easier for u

SimLondon · 22/10/2013 21:36

Have you spoken to your health visitor? she can arrange the free 15 hours a week nursery time for a two year old as can a council children's center worker.

Also, does your LO get enough sleep - 12 hours a night and an hour nap during the day, does he go to bed at a decent hour? also do you avoid junk / sugary food?

Keep posting, don't panic and know "that this to shall pass"

Doitnicelyplease · 23/10/2013 00:38

Blondieminx

I was simply echoing what the OP said in her first post...
"I have become so depressed, I dread waking up everyday"
"The constant stress is making me ill with chronic migraines, high anxiety and deep depression"
"I am depressed because my situation feels hopeless"

So I wrote that yes she sounded depressed and should probably speak to a GP about that - hardly a huge leap and/or diagnosis.

I did notice that other posters seem very quick to diagnose the child though Hmm

I am sure we agree that the most important thing is the OP takes steps, no matter how small, to improve things. Posting here is the first step and others have suggested some great organisations that should be able to offer practical and emotional help.

riskit4abiskit · 25/10/2013 10:44

No useful advice as my dc is 7wks but I wanted to know I was sending you positive mental vibes and sympathy. It sounds to me like you are doing a super job just surviving, dont pressurise yourself about your website etc. It can wait!

Bouncey · 25/10/2013 12:55

Lots of sympathy. Try talking to your Heath visitor. I think there is a charity (can't remember the same, sorry) which provides baby sitting for parents who have problems and don't have family close by. It's run by experienced volunteers who have all been checked etc. My health visitor suggested it to me when my toddler was younger, as I was a bit exhausted and my family live quite dad away. I didn't need to avail of it in the end but it sounded great. Your health visitor can sign you up for it.

Bouncey · 25/10/2013 12:59

Ps for what's it's worth, I think if you sorted the sleep out, the other behavioural issues would likely fall into place. He may well just be exhausted, and I know my almost 2 year old turns into Damien from the Omen when she is sleep deprived. Some form of controlled crying could help - I know this controversial, but there are different kinds, and it really helped us when dd was about a year old. We did the "settle and leave" method - you pick them up when they cry, but put them back in their cot straightaway when she settles and repeat. Again, health visitor should be able to advise.

absentmindeddooooodles · 25/10/2013 13:12

Op I could have writtwn your post. Ds is 2.6 and has been exactly the same since a year old.

Its horrifically draining I know, and you definatley need time out. Do not feel guilty. Alot of people brushed me and my concerns off, saying it was terrible twos.

If you feel there is something not right, go to your gp and hv. It took me a while but ds has now been refered for adhd/add/as.

Im not saying that your son has anything like this, and im not saying he hasnt. Either way you need to gwt some help.

I know how it feels to not want to get up, to feel like a failure and to feel so guilty that im not doing enough for my son.

Everyone told me that he was just tierd....this could or could not be the case. Ive tried a strong routine from day one but it has never ever worked. Im hoping that the communitu pediatrician team or senco can help with some coping stratergies tbh.

I hope it gets better for you. Please do go and get help though. Its bloody hard and you should never ever feel like its your fault. X

StickChildrenTwo · 25/10/2013 13:24

OP I really think you do need to discuss things with the GP or Health Visitor. My DS2 is 22 months and by no means and 'easy' child, he is whingey and moany and gets very frustrated with toys and his language. He is speaking but gets frustrated when we don't understand exactly what he means or when a toy won't do what he thinks it SHOULD do!

A lot of what you say is typical toddler behaviour but if you feel it is extreme and he is like this all the time then that's not good for you or him to be so unhappy.

Like I say my DS2 is tricky at times and certainly does not like being restrained in a high chair or any kind of chair for that matter! DS1 was similar and I can remember crying through exhaustion and really worrying he would need anger management when he got older! I was convinced he was autistic or had some kind of developmental problem. He seemed so highly strung and difficult BUT it did get better, SO SO much better. He is no trouble at all now (age 6) and hasn't been a difficult or angry child at all since he turned 3. Your DS won't always be a frustrated angry toddler, but I know that doesn't help you now.

You need help and support. It's not easy being around any toddler but a spirited, fiery toddler is hell on earth sometimes. Don't take it upon yourself to be supermum. There's no shame is admitting it's hard and getting help and talking through your worries with a professional. You're doing a great job.

Swanhilda · 25/10/2013 13:27

I have had two little boys (one with ASD - mild) now in their teens and preteens and they both were desperate to get "out" every day. I think toddlers get extremely frustrated stuck at home, even surrounded by toys. Any outing will do, shops, playgroup, park. But they have to get out and be moderately active or have a change of scene. So don't feel your son is unusual in this, even though he is still only a baby/toddler.

Secondly sleep really is the key. You are exhausted and so is he. It is affecting both of you. That is the first thing you need to see a HV/GP about. My ASD son had a lot of trouble self settling in comparison to my other two children, so that could be an aspect, but it is something you can encourage - good sleep patterns I mean. He may be naturally bad at sleeping and someone needs to support you in helping him get the sleep he deserves.

Also food. Toddlers are terrible fussers with food. They pick on stress, they get defiant, they are frightened of being made to eat things they don't fancy. They also get hungry very quickly. The combination of not eating and needing to eat is a lethal one. So it helps to have lots of easy snacks that you know he will like rather than kill yourself preparing food he throws on the floor. Maybe apple slices, cheese sandwiches (babybels even?) a few crisps (just a few, in a little sandwich bag - not a full branded packet he can recognise) humous and things he can dip in it, little meatballs or chipolata sausages. Food he can eat out and about so you can defuse the bad meal time atmosphere. Have a picnic on a park bench.
Yet this is also a ASD issue. ASD children are notoriously sensitive to taste and texture, and will refuse to even taste something that they are suspicious of, even when hungry. They just hungrier and more badtempered as a result and even more impossible to handle. SO give him some slack if you suspect he has food "sensitivities". Give him food you know he likes - it can still be healthy, even if it is repetitive and quite limited. It's a start.

Toys. Toddlers are much more interested in gross motor play (well in my experience of boys). Jumping - sliding - fiddling - banging - whooshing. They like songs, marching bouncing, wrestling play. ASD children also need a lot of extra sensory input which means they need to touch things, grab things, squash things, bang into them. Which would account for why he won't leave you alone. But often babies toddlers pick up on depression withdrawal anger and want to interact more with you, in a negative way, which is what he doing perhaps?

Boundaries. Timeout and smacking don't work for toddlers. Distraction and routines do. Empathy and shared fun works too - that sounds a bit facile but when you both feel happy it is much easier to behave.

You. This sort of stuff would make anyone overwhelmed and depressed so it is a bit of a chicken and egg to blame his behaviour on your depression. The two go together. You are his mum and if you are unhappy he'll feel it in his bones and that will stress him too. So you need to get someone to listen, and give you some strategies to make both your lives easier.

So, having lived with three toddlers, one with undiagnosed ASD, I so sympathise with feeling unable to cope, but when I DID cope it was because I accepted some of the stuff I've listed above. Looking back I think mothers get very confused about how their toddlers should be behaving and sometimes don't accept them for what they are, toddlers.

Swanhilda · 25/10/2013 13:40

A few simple thoughts. Washing - share a bath or shower (even if it's in swimsuits!)with your son
Cleaning house - give up for now, concentrate on getting out
Cooking - stop cooking until you have sorted out the rages/tantrums and needing to get out. Eat incredibly simple food, reheated if necessary, baked beans on toast, scrambled egg, microvable veg.
Get rid of high chair. For now. In a week build him up to sitting on on A BIG Chair (special treat). Make it an event. Sit down with him rather than serving him. Even if it is to a glass of milk and sandwich.
Stop expecting much of yourself except to just enjoy being with son. A walk down road. A snuggle on sofa watching a fave programme. Jumping on bed while you are straightening duvet.
Imagine you have no responsibilities except to get through day in one piece.
Find a toddler group. Go for ten minutes only, see how it goes. Bring picnic so no anxieties about mealtimes afterwards.
Have afternoon nap with toddler whilst reading book
Repeat. Expect nothing of yourself, except that you won't shout and that you will enjoy toddler's company.
Repeat. I don't need to shout, and I don't need to make him behave.
Take it from there. Don't worry about boundaries for the moment. They can be set once you start enjoying being with him.

MadameDefarge · 25/10/2013 13:55

There is some funding available for 2 year olds for nursery hours. It's limited, but it sounds like you would be well placed to access it.

Children's Services at your council should be able to help. They will have an early years section who could well sort it out for you.

maybe a bit of woo might help also? I have heard good things about cranial osteopathy for small kids. It can't do any harm, at any rate.

brettgirl2 · 25/10/2013 14:33

he does sound very difficult. Just one thing - I think that disciplining children under 2 and a half is pointless tbh. All you can do is give lots of attention when they are good and none when naughty.

He probably does need time outside however ill you are. Toddlers are like Collie dogs, they need walling twice a day in my experience (of girls only! Wink )

brettgirl2 · 25/10/2013 14:34

walkingHmm

olympicsrock · 25/10/2013 14:54

Some really good advice here. My DS is 23 months. Terrible sleeper and really stroppy massive tantrums if doesn't get his own way and incredibly precise about everything. This morning he was terrible but once i had wrestled him into a coat and got outside he was much better. I think getting out and about is the answer, walking and fresh air gives you sanity and is free. Run the little bugger around til he's exhausted! Join up with a friend with a toddler and let them run together while you have an adult conversation. Find about about free groups (children's centres) etc. Take him to soft play and join in.
Stuff the cooking and cleaning - find a few things he will eat and have them as backups and snacky meals (malt loaf, brioche, banana muffins) sausages, shepherds pie cooked in batches and frozen. They are permanently teething at this age so tired and grumpy - who cares if they only eat bananas - it's a phase and will phase.
Learn to carry them sideways (so you don't get hit when they throw a hard head back at yours. Try to say 'no' occasionally but distraction is your best friend. I'm 10 years older than you - it's bloody hard work and i think anyone in your shoes would be exhausted and down. Sending a hug.

TrucksAndDinosaurs · 25/10/2013 17:02

www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/diagnosis/screen-your-child

A simple test to check for ASD in toddlers.
My son has ASD not saying yours has!
If any results concern you go to GP and get them to do it with you.
I remember pre diagnosis (made at 2.3 yrs) being both relieved and distressed by the following words

'If your child seems noticeably much harder work than other people's children it is probably because he IS much harder work than other people's children. Investigate, get help and don't assume you're parenting is all wrong.'

Much sympathy from the mum of a boy who didn't sleep and never stopped - but who is now a much happier almost-3yo.

Flowers (and please do check special needs boards for fantastic help from parents who get it - whether your child has any extra needs or not)

Worriedfirstimemum · 16/11/2022 08:51

Any update, advices for those in similar situations?

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