My 18m old DD is having so many tantrums at the moment - it is hard to get through 15 mins without one. She started tantrums quite early (around the 12m mark) and they certainly intensified once she was 14 months plus but they have recently escalated to a very testing level. My DD has always been hyper-emotional so I suppose it isn't surprising but I am finding dealing with it so draining now.
My DD remains in the 98th percentile and is the height and weight of a 2.5 yr old. She increasingly insists to be carried everywhere. When I encourage her to walk a little further or offer her the buggy, she immediately lies down and screams. Today, 3 of us, (me and my parents) couldn't restrain here to get her in the pushchair. I am constantly anxious about being out with her on my own - if 3 of us can't restrain her, I have no chance. The only thing that helps is if I show her a cartoon on my phone but that has been happening more and more and I'm fed up of relying on it.
She does not like being disciplined (of course - what child does?) but she literally refuses to be told off. She is in a phase of hitting other children for no reason whatsoever. When I pull her away and explain that 'you can't hit other children' and 'they are your friends' etc, she immediately throws herself to the floor screaming again. It's making me so upset because I love my DD to bits and I know she is a loving and caring child beneath it all; I hate to see her constantly labelled as the 'bad' child, especially because I do my best to ensure she treats others with respect. I just don't understand where this need to hit (and bite) everyone has come from. The nursery have had to speak to us about it. She has no siblings and there is no violence at home!! It's deeply upsetting. I only work part-time so am with her 4 days out of 7 a week and she is only in nursery 2 days. There is lots of love and happiness around her.
Today I had to leave a cafe because she was screaming bloody murder. Even after I brought her home, she continued to cry and scream for half an hour. All the neighbours look at me and judge me (I've lived in the same place all my life) and it just all feels like it's weighing down on me some days. I am super lucky as I have great support via my partner and parents, I just feel the tantrums and emotional turmoil are always thrown at me because my DD clings to me like I'm about to leave forever at any moment (horrific separation anxiety doesn't help).
Not sure why I'm writing this. Toddlers have tantrums, I know. I just feel my DD is the extreme end. Runs everywhere, won't keep still, screams bloody murder etc, whereas most of my friends' toddlers will sit on a chair or their parent's lap and eat. They will stop when their parent says 'no'. They don't hit other kids for no reason.
I fear I'm only at the beginning of a very long phase of tantrums, separation anxiety and emotional roller coasters. If someone has advice or inspiration beyond the obvious, I would appreciate it.