17 mths old & shrieking/screaming

[Shivs1974]

I originally posted this in the Parenting section but think it would be better here....
I'm hoping that one of you might be able to offer some advice or reassurance.
My dd is generally a v happy child but she does have a stubborn/determined/wilful nature (v much like me!)
She spends 4 days week with her childminder & the rest of her time with me. She's v well behaved generally with the childminder & plays well with the other children.
She has recently started shrieking & screaming in a v v high pitched fashion when with dh or myself - typically if she's in her buggy and someone looks at her or if one of us comes home from work.
We've tried saying "shhh", or "too noisy" or "too loud" but nothing seems to work. Our second child is due mid-Nov and I'm aware that dd1's world will be turned upside down.
Just wondered if anyone could offer any words of wisdom.....

My 15 month old DS has recently started doing this too, and we have found that totally ignoring it helps loads. When we are in a situation where you cant ignore it, and we get agitated, he does it more and louder, but when we are at home or in a situation where it doesnt matter if he screams his head off eg supermarket then I just look away, carry on with what ever I am doing and make sure I dont make eye contact. If he is not in his buggy or a trolly he sometimes throws himself on the floor too but when he calms down I make sure that I suddenly give him loads of attention by distracting him into looking at something and he is fine then.

I am due in Jan when DS will be 17months+. I have noticed that he has got more 'naughty' recently as the baby is talked about more but not sure if that is just because he is getting older or because he knows something is going on!

Dont know if that helps? I am still battling him with it but I seem to be winning as he is doing it less and less. My throbing head is very grateful!!

Bumping this really in case anyone has any further words of wisdom... My 1yo ds seems to be a pretty willful little man (I don't know enough babies to compare) and of course he can be a complete joy... but also very frustrated and frustrating!!! Can be difficult to take him places as he will scream - not in temper or as though crying, but just screeching. It's really embarrassing. He seems quite happy doing it, I cannot stand it. It really fazes me.

Sounds entirely normal to me

Mines doing it too!!!! m I've found saying "shhhhh! can you hear a tiny baby, or shhhhhh can you hear the trees?" type distraction thing works very well. I've just spent 4hrs on a hospital ward waiting for my Granda to be discharged and between feeding DS grapes, water and rainbow drops and playing "shhh, can you hear..." I managed to keep him happy in his buggy for the whole time.

Crackednut - it is just as though they enjoy it isn't it and always at the most inappropriate time! I've dveloped a new "he's a baby, babies make noises" attitude and not many people tut now for fear of raging mother syndrome! DOesn't help that DS looks a lot older than 18/9 months - most people seem to think he's about 2 going on 3! so I get lots of looks at him being in a buggy or not talking.

Thanks guys. Maybe I'll just have to sit this one out. I do find the whole 'what other people think' thing really hard to deal with which does annoy me but I guess I'm just inexperienced.

Oh, my dh wonders - does your lo scream more for you than for other people? This sounds silly, but we feel like ds might 'play me up' a bit more! Or is that a joy to come...?!

he just screams wherever whenever! Loves it if people flinch, so he does it more.

I hate to think of other people judging me but if they would like to take him off for an hour and see if they can do better then I'd be happy to watch how the propose I manage him!

DS is number one but I'm a bit of a memeber of the benign neglect club - just let him get on with it unless its blatently dangerous or innappropriate!

Try not to let it bother you. It won't last long. Both mine did it and they soon got bored as they werent getting my attention from it.

Thanks guys, appreciate. I will try the whispering response and not giving it too much reaction. I'll let you know... xx

Good Luck