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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

My 2 year old ds can be such a nightmare, come and read what he has done now and reassure me that your children do stuff like this all the time, and yes it is normal, and no it doesn't mean he will grow up to be a psycopath

20 replies

Wallace · 07/10/2008 20:34

He was playing nicely in the sitting room yesterday, and I popped upstairs to go to the loo and grab an armful of washing.

I came down to find him lobbing stuff in the fire

We have a big nursery fireguard, but he had still managed to chuck in:

-his socks
-his shoes
-an adored toy train
-dh's jeans complete with belt and wallet in the pocket

There were other toys which had got over the fireguard but missed the fire. Luckily I got dh's jeans out before the wallet burnt, but the jeans and belt are ruined.

His shoes are completely unwearable, and his socks are a gonner too.

I fished the train (a biggish plastic thing) out but it had already started to burn and carried on burning and melting on the hearth as I farted about trying to get a bucket of water. The whole house was filled with black smoke and fumes - our sitting room has just been decorated too!

I think seeing his beloved radio-control train melted into a blackened mess gave him a bit of a shock (bloody hope so too)

He also had quite a fright when I shut him out of the sitting room to get him away from the smoke and the firealarm was going off, so hopefully he will not be tempted to repeat the experience.

Also we now keep the spark guard on too when he is around!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

solidgoldskullonastick · 07/10/2008 20:39

Mine turned one of the cooker hobs on when I had (about the only time I ever did it) stacked up some of his plates and plastic bowls on that hob. Of course the lot melted - I remember I shoved him out into the garden to get him away from the fumes and when he wouldn't stay, got his pushchair and strapped him in it outside because I had to leave the door open to clear the stink (and phone NHS direct to see if inhaling melted plastic meant we needed to go to A&E)...

fairylights · 07/10/2008 20:42

can totally imagine my ds (2 in a few weeks) doing this - he is always trying to find a way to get over the fireguard which is chained to the wall and is v solid! sadly think this is the norm..well thats what i keep telling myself

Original poster

Wallace · 07/10/2008 20:42

Bet that was a nightmare to clean off! What did NHS direct say btw?

My ds2 is my third child and the other two were not like this...

OP posts:

compo · 07/10/2008 20:47

That is scary!

ThatsNotMyFanjo · 07/10/2008 20:47

Oh, totally normal!

thisisyesterday · 07/10/2008 20:48

omg wallace, I think I have one like that in the making

Original poster

Wallace · 07/10/2008 20:57

phew, it is normal then..?

I have a feeling it might be one extreme end of normal

A funnier anecdote:

We were at MIL's the other day and on the table there were salt and pepper cellars on the table. He kept on climbing on the chairs trying to reach them.

MIL was moving them from one side of the table to the other out of his reach, and he would a few minutes later go round the other side of the table, climb up, and try to reach the cellars.

MIl has obviously told him to be careful because the salt and pepper might get in his eyes because as he was trying to reach them mumbling something along the lines of "Not get salt in my eyes"

Anyway, eventually he slipped past our guard, picked up the salt cellar, put it to his eye and tipped it up

We POSL. I did tell him it was a very silly thing to do, but it declared "Was an acccident!"

I would love to know what goes on inside his head ...

OP posts:

madrose · 07/10/2008 21:00

sorry wallace - but had to giggle at your post.

ADragonIs4LifeNotJustHalloween · 07/10/2008 21:03

You need to talk to Flame...

MinkyBorage · 07/10/2008 21:06

I can really imagine my dds doing this is given half the chance! tODAY THEY (oops) we were at a friends house and we found them in the bathroom filling cups of water up from the toilet and pouring it over eachother. Nowhere near as destructive as putting stuff on a fire, but I promise you, this is only because we don't have a fire!!

Original poster

Wallace · 07/10/2008 21:06

what has flameboy been up to?

OP posts:

saltire · 07/10/2008 21:06

Oh yes, DS2 did (and to a lesser degree still does at 8) things like that.
He put a coaster down the bars of an electric fire "becasue Iw anted to see flames". he once turned on the hobs on a halogen cooker (brand new, installed by defence estates), I had left a tea towel lying on it.The towle went up in flames, it spread all up teh wall, along the worktop and burnt a pile of table mats. How DHE never charged us to replace it I'll never know. He once smashed a,light fitting on the ceiling by swinging the broom round his head "like the man at the front fo the pipe band".
Then tehre was the time he ended up in A&E becasue he had been swinging fromt eh bannister and fell and bashed his head. Or the time he ended up in A&E becasue he ahad been jumping on the bed, slipped on the plastic mattress cover and cut his head, needing 6 stiches.
I could go on but we'd be here a while

ceebee74 · 07/10/2008 21:07

Wallace - sorry but the second story you have just told made me giggle (hope DS was ok btw). The first incident would have scared the living daylights out of me though.

I guess it is just typical 2-year old behaviour and some are more extreme/adventurous/curious than others, just like others (like mine) have more tantrums than others.

Not much help I know but keep repeating 'it is just a phase'

feedthegoat · 07/10/2008 21:08

When my DS was just over 2, I was merrily making dinner thinking he was in his bedroom but he'd plugged up bathroom sink with toilet paper and turned on tap. It was pouring through ceiling within minutes and flooded kitchen!

Original poster

Wallace · 07/10/2008 21:09

no saltire! Stop!!! I'm covering my ears I really don't want to hear anymore - it is like a glimpse into the future

lol minky

OP posts:

Original poster

Wallace · 07/10/2008 21:11

it was v funny ceebee (the second one that is, the first was a bit scary!)

OP posts:

Boysboysboys · 07/10/2008 21:51

When my brother was small he put the plug in and left the tap on.... flooded the office (parents ran business from home), painted my sisters room and bed blue, and drank bleach from the kitchen... amongst other things. I have to say, he is now a respectable married father on 2... and much better behaved... so there is hope for you all!

Pannacotta · 07/10/2008 22:01

Our DS2 (17 months) is a total vandal, eg cat bowls emptied daily, loo brushes brandished, unused nappies/whole loo rolls bunged down the loo, cast iron wood burner doors trashed (the burner is never used), carpets pulled up, kitchen table ruined by cutlery marks etc etc.
I am also covered in bruises and scratches...

I think you are brave/mad to have an open fire on the go while he is awake btw.
But yes he is totally normal!

solidgoldskullonastick · 07/10/2008 22:08

Re: melted plastic, NHS direct said not to worry unless either of us was having trouble breathing or bad headaches: basically kids' food dishes would be of a non-toxic plastic.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 07/10/2008 22:31

Sounds very familiar.

DS is still only 3.5 so I couldnt say if he was going to end up as a psycopath but he's certainly been less 'indiscriminate' with his destructive tendancies.

Oh, and we NEVER leave him alone with flames.

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