21m old tantrums and miserable

[Chans11]

Hi all

I have a 21m old who the past few weeks has been whining and crying which feels like all the time but mainly in the evenings. She never wants to stay indoors which is difficult and just never seem to be pleased with what we do. I’m guessing its a communication thing but any tips are appreciated x

Is she a bit tired? Even if her sleep pattern hasn't changed, a touch of cold or just too many exciting things happening could have her needing extra sleep. My next questions would be hungry or in pain, perhaps teething?

If you've ruled out those, is she getting plenty of time outdoors? Virtually all toddlers do better with at least one good block of active, outdoor play, and some really need two, if at all possible.

How is her communication? Things like 'toddler's choice' can help a lot with frustration – red shirt or green shirt, apple or banana, let her point to what she wants.