to brat or not to brat?

[couldsleepforahundredyears]

I have a 14 month old boy. He has a great little personality, sleeps well, eats well, no real tantrums as yet. I've no complaints. But what I am wondering is when it'll all go wrong. Seems to good to be true at the moment, when is my little munchkin going to turn into a little git? They all do,right!? could it be that he will just be a pleasant child or is that wishful thinking? Is it too early to tell?

Will my baby turn into a brat?

Don't think of your child as a git or brat. Enjoy the ages as they come. Yes he might have tantrums etc as he gets older but that doesn't make him a brat!

Some children like to use their new found independence to push boundaries - it doesn't make them brats, they are still toddlers with a small understanding of how the world works.

You may have a laid back child - or you may find that once your DC starts to walk and talk and become more confident in their abilities that they will try new things such as climbing on anything (including things you don't want them to) and running off in unsafe places.

As long as you are able to be consistent and firm with boundaries your DC will pick them up. Equally they may continue to explore new things anyway.

But small children aren't brats. Older children who have more knowledge and understanding about 'naughty behaviours' who play up could be considered naughty/ badly behaved but I probably still wouldn't use the term brat.

Should have said in my original post that I'm being lighthearted!

I am just so happy with him at the moment and I guess the pessimist in me tells me that it can't last.

I was just musing really and hoping against all hope that he will continue to be laid back. I read about behavioural problems on here all the time and dread the thought of my boy becoming a nightmare for me. It's such an awful thought.

Thanks for responding, I await the terrible twos with baited breath!

Sorry I took the thread too seriously ! My DS was delightful until he was much older - no terrible toddler issues - now he's a preteen it's different!
DD was definitely more determined ;) from about 20 months.

Good luck hopefully you won't need it !

Well I doubt he will be a brat but he will certainly get more, er, challenging, as he approaches two.

Basically at the moment he doesn't have a very strong will. If he is doing sth you don't want, you can distract him with something novel. As he gets towards 2 you will see that you can't do this anymore and he is much more persistent about getting his own way. Or perhaps more accurately, he now has strong desires and preferences in a way that he didn't have before.

Between 2 and 3 he can talk (its amazing how much BIGGER that makes their personality) and you will see that he starts to oppose your will just for the sheer point of it. He says he wants X, you give him X and then immediately he'll shout because its not Y. If it weren't so frustrating it would be hilarious!

Beyond 3 he will become more reasonable. He will probably be OK with "I know you want to do X, and we can do X after we've done Y". But from here on in he is a fully separate person from you with whom you have to negotiate all the time.

PS Although they get more challenging they also get MUCH more fun! Watching them accomplish things (ride balance bike, talk, jump, climb playgrounds) makes you so proud. So don't worry that its going to be a turn for the worse.

My son is 2 now. He can be very draining! But he is SO much more fun now than he was at 15 months.