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Chaotic toddlers - is this normal?

6 replies

alittleconfused1 · 19/01/2026 19:18

I have a wonderful 2 3/4yo girl, who is and will be my only child. I have had her very late in life so I have no real parent friends to compare/contrast with. This might sound like a stupid question but I wanted to understand how chaotic this sort of age are, I am worried she lacks discipline but also assume it's normal toddler behaviour.

She just feels chaotic, she is running everywhere, crashing into things regularly, she will be in one drawer dragging stuff out and a few minutes later doing something completely different. If I stop her doing one thing she is off doing another (not all the time). It's like a tornado has rolled through the house most days. She wants to look at this, hold that, throw this, pick that up, put that there, take something somewhere else etc etc. I actually find it quite exhausting!

I feel like she is generally being dragged up ok, in that she is pretty good with please and thank you's, generally stops doing stuff if you tell her no, doesn't hit/kick/spit (yet!), obviously alongside the tantrums, highs and lows of a nearly 3 year old.

I am really happy for her to continue to be so chaotic as I feel it's just her age, but I do worry that I should be shutting it down a bit more because whilst it's fine at 2 I wouldn't want her doing it at 4! Will she grow out of it? Is it normal? Is she hyperactive!? Or is she lacking discipline?

Thanks so much!

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Mymumsthebest · 19/01/2026 19:22

At 2 that sounds very normal. 2 year olds are by their normal nature lacking in attention and hyperactive! Being polite and that she stops when asked to are great. I would worry about what happens when she is 4 then, instead of worrying about it now. In the meantime plenty of time outdoors to limit house chaos and tire her out.

CharnwoodFire · 19/01/2026 19:22

My 2.5 year old boy is exactly the same - it's exhausting! He also stops when I tell him (well, sometimes) and he gets told off when he does something I've told him not to. But it's really really tough - he's here, there, everywhere and dragging chaos wherever he goes - I don't know if it is normal, but you have my sympathies op x

alittleconfused1 · 19/01/2026 19:25

Thank you so much, that's so reassuring!!

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alittleconfused1 · 19/01/2026 19:26

CharnwoodFire · 19/01/2026 19:22

My 2.5 year old boy is exactly the same - it's exhausting! He also stops when I tell him (well, sometimes) and he gets told off when he does something I've told him not to. But it's really really tough - he's here, there, everywhere and dragging chaos wherever he goes - I don't know if it is normal, but you have my sympathies op x

Sending you sympathies back! By the end of the day I am completely exhausted! Probably my age as well!! But so reassuring to hear that others have the same experience! I don't want to dampen her spark! x

OP posts:
alittleconfused1 · 19/01/2026 19:26

Mymumsthebest · 19/01/2026 19:22

At 2 that sounds very normal. 2 year olds are by their normal nature lacking in attention and hyperactive! Being polite and that she stops when asked to are great. I would worry about what happens when she is 4 then, instead of worrying about it now. In the meantime plenty of time outdoors to limit house chaos and tire her out.

Thank you, that is so reassuring x

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Devilsmommy · 27/01/2026 05:00

Oh yes, sounds completely normal to me. My DS was a complete Tasmanian devil at that age and he's still pretty much the same at 3.5😳 though he is on the pathway for assessment so hopefully your little one will grow out of it😅

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