21 month old screaming etc

[sb9]

Hello,

Wondered if anyone could help. My 21 month old has always been hard work as a baby and i wondering what i can do to help myself!

Every morning we wake to screaming and if we dont go in itgets worse and worse. I have gone into put books in there and toys but she just wants to get up. Fair enough i get her up but when she is up she still screams (obviously has her milk)

She screams when she cant hold all of her teddies in her arms at the same time

When she has her nappy done

When she gets told off

When she gets frustrated at something

Wants me to play with her all the time

Oh its just happened now after her afternoon nap, she is going mad on the floor (she has been crying since i picked her up and then becuase she couldnt have something i said no)

I have just left her screaming on the floor

Any advice? Its happening so much!!!

Hi, sb9. My DS has also been "hard work", and is now 21 months, with some screaming fits, too. It mostly happens when (a) there is a change in activity (nappy time, turning off television, time to go to sleep after story/milk) or (b) when he is still tired. Oh, and (c) in the middle of the night, for some reason (habit/ night terrors/ hunger).

The things that help us are (a) clearly signposting the change in activity beforehand, and not going back on the end of whatever, (b) getting whatever it is done as quickly as possible because whatever we do will irritate him, as he's tired, and (c) milk and cuddling at night (yes, I know he's meant to be beyond the milk. however, he takes it with such starving gratitude that maybe he is hungry. he's a fussy eater, after all).

I try to plan ahead so that I am not going up and down the stairs, since that drives him bats. One result of that is that we have set up a changing station downstairs, so having his nappy changed doesn't distract him for long.

I also try to get him to do as much as possible for himself (offering a sense of control, blah blah). This has the added benefit of tiring him physically before he is tired mentally, so he is a bit more docile, and submits to cuddles.

However, he still goes spare occasionally. The two times today (M&S and park) were my fault, for not having "run" him enough. Night terrors we just have to deal with, it seems.

Sorry this is not very encouraging, but if there is anything here you are not trying, do try incorporating it into your routine. If not... well, you are not alone.

P.S. Should have mentioned I am a SAHM/WAHM, which gives me a lot of time with DS (you can read that as "a lot of time" or "a looooot of time ")

Thanks, I have tried most things. I am a SAHM too. She has amazed me today and yest that she has let me change her nappy, maybe a sign of things to come lol!

It's the beginning of the terrible twos! I have a 4 year old and a 21 month old. Second time round I can see what's coming. My view is that it's one of those things that you have to go through and often can't do much about. It is truly amazing sometimes what they decide to throw a tantrum about. Often, it's just a result of frustration, tiredness, hunger or boredom. But you can't get right all the time and shouldn't try to. Remember that screaming/crying is still their way of communicating and drawing attention to themselves and this dies down when they are able to talk (generally!).