Anyone else have the most 'terrible two' at toddler group?

[MamaVoo]

DS is 2.3 and I take him to a toddler group once a week and am finding that all the other kids seem better behaved. DS isn't really naughty, he just prefers to do his own thing rather than join in. At the end they put the toys away and sit down for a story and songs and DS spends the whole time getting things out again to play with and generally getting in a strop. I'm sure this is normal but today every other child was joining in so beautifully that I felt like a bad mother. Please let me know that it's not just me who finds this.

My DS1 was an angel at 2 and an absolute horror at 3, so he went from being one of the best behaved children there (making me look like a good mum ) to one of the worst. I think that the thing to remember is that they are all different and they all have their moments. I always find it reassuring when other people's kids play up!

All the time! We go to a music group and my heart sinks whenever the drumsticks come out as he is a bit a maniac with them!! I keep telling myself he will grow out of it. Also I always think people only really watch their child and they often don't even notice others behaviour. When DS is being good and I am not on constant surveillance - I look around and see that there a lots of other children acting the same way - thank god!!! Also very annoying when they are good for everyone else except you!

My ds was the worst behaved most gumpy, stroppy kid at toddler group til he was nearly 2. He wouldn't join in with tidying up or song time, just wandered around making a mess. He's 2.6 now and he is the most helpful and friendly, gentle little boy so it can change o quick! And don't forget, your ds is only 2, just a baby, if he desn't feel like joining in with things then he won't and it's best just to go with it. Sounds totally normal, loads of toddlers at my group are always stropping and throwing stuff about when they are meant to be packing away.... must admit when it was my ds doing that, he did seem to be the only one but I'm sure he can't have been!

you're not alone this is always how mine is @ groups too, he is extremely energetic & doesnt really like to sit still & wants to do his own thing. not really naughty as such but can be persistant in what he wants to do which is not always what i want him to do eg spilling sand everywhere & making mess
so sometimes feel bit embarrased like oh no, he's trashing the place again but the leaders told me dont worry about it. altho sometimes do think that are ppl gonna look @ him & think y is he not kept under control? cos i have a younger baby aswel 2 months so not always able to str8 away go & prevent him from causing chaos
hopefully theyll grow out of it eventually, im thinking when my ds gets to nursery or school he might learn more to conform like sitting down with everyone when required.
for now they're only little & they're having fun so its not really the end of the world if they dont join in as they 'should'
also i think we notice it more cos its our own but others may not b as bothered by their behaviour?
anyway, defintely not alone with this

I'm feeling much better already. Trust me to pick a toddler group that has unnatural Stepford-type children

Definitely! I have had a terrible time with my toddler - hitting other children and generally not wanting to play by the rules. One thing I have tried to do is stop comparing him to other toddlers. His behaviour is generally getting better and I know that every child has their moment. My LO went through it at 2 - some go through it later, some are nightmares as teenages. My mantra this year has been "its a phase".

In his first week at school when all the children were sitting nicely crossed legged on the floor, my son stuck his leg out and tried to trip the teacher up. And I thought he was only a little shit for me! I wasn't a terrible mother, I just had a terrible son

PS. He was thrown out of toddler group So lets hope yours doesn't carry on like mine did.

pps. Hes much older now and loads better so there is hope. You should see my grey hairs though!!

I don't think he's in danger of being thrown out yet I do have a feeling he's going to get worse though before he gets better.

Tbh, I'm pretty sure he gets any spoilt brat/stubbourn tendencies from me so I can't really complain if he's a chip off the old block.

My 2.11 year old is still going through the terrible twos when will it end. Its I want want want (no please or thank you) and flinging herself down on the pavement/floor if she does not get her own way, and running off if something is not to her liking so dont worry, I am hoping that she will settle down once she goes to nursery school at 3 and learn to use the toilet/potty (not pt yet)

Oh yes, the dramatic flinging themselves down. Wouldn't it be funny if we carried on doing that into adulthood?

My DS sounds like your son OP! Quite independent, though it doesn't really show as there are some genuinely "horrible" boys at his toddler group, in as much as a child that young can be said to be a horror. (I put it down to a distinct lack of parental influence when the child goes around snatching toys off the others and racing around on a trike crashing repeatedly into doors..). But when it comes to singing at the end, my son is one of those who race around not really wanting to sit still at all. Some weeks he's better than others.

But your DS doesn't sound all that terrible compared to the trio at my son's group. Last week, one of them deliberately rode a tricycle into my son, who was sitting playing with a toy lorry. Fortunately, the mother noticed that time, but my DS did look very shocked for a while after

Please come to my toddler group so my ds won't look so out of place!! Sometimes he is great, other times a little terror. They had a nativity play at Christmas (really just dressed up on the stage while someone read the Christmas story, then they sang a few songs- my dd (4) was Mary, and oh, so angelic. Ds, on the other hand, refused to wear a costume, then started a tussle on the stage with a little boy dressed as a sheep because they both wanted to hold onto the same bit of banister, which ended with a very unchristmassy dinosaur RAAAAH from my ds. When this failed to see off his ovine opponent, he threw himself on the stage in a strop. I (at the sidelines) tried to diffuse, by giving him his "gogo" (dummy), whereupon he caught sight of a little shepherd peeping round at him and snarled- "Not YOUR gogo- MYY gogo!"

I'm so looking forward to my copy of the DVD...

Joolyjoolyjo - that is hilarious!

Mine doesn't really do tantrums but he does like to locate and set of any burglar alarm in a building, he pushes a little chair up and sets them off. He's done it sooooo many times now it's not an accident. He's not so good at sitting and has been known to play with the photocopier instead of the toys. He just likes electrical things and always has a screwdriver in his hand at home trying to "fix" things. We've had a couple of telling offs at playgroup so we are lying low for a week or two lol.

Not at this stage at all (DD is only 8 months...), but thought it looked an interesting thread.

I'm so glad I read it, mainly for the humerous post written by Joolyjoolyjoo!! Can I have a copy of the DVD aswell?! Or maybe we'll see it on "You've Been Framed!".

It sounds to me like Joolyjoolyjoo's DS was the making of the nativity.

Oh God, I have to go and push a toy tractor...