Boisterous 11month baby

[MsToni]

Hello

I'd be grateful for your thoughts on my little 'problem'.

My little man is 10+4months (11 next week) and he's an absolute sweetheart. He's quite friendly and has a wide smile for every Tom Dick and Harry! The flip side is when he throws a strop - no one can calm him down except me and he's quite adept at crying and screaming nonstop when he's upset.

My main problem is when we go for his baby classes (Monkey Music, Baby Signing, Gymboree, French Lessons) he is very boisterous and gets VERY excited when he sees other kids. He screams, laughs, babbles loudly, pulls their arm, hair, pats (bats) their faces, pulls their nose, ear, eyes etc and he has made some kids cry on a number of occasion.

I know he doesn't mean any harm but its always stressful when he goes for these classes because I have to keep him away from other babies so he doesn't hurt them or make them cry. I feel really bad because he does want to play with other kids but he's too boisterous, over exuberant and quite nosy. His joyous screams are wince inducing!!!

How do I manage this please?

I would like him to start Nursery part time (starts in september) so he gets used to other babies, calm down and play nicely...will this help at all?

Many Thanks....

xxxx

ooh he sounds gorgeous!

my little one is 14 mths and very excitable. he will have no idea about the concequences of eye gouging/hair pulling type behaviour....this is what my dd does when she is excited. perhaps he is over stimulated? your doing 4 classes a week....maybe thats the norm now but how about quite time at home with gentle play one on one where you are able to change the tone of your voice...not shouting but giving a clear signal that your not happy with the type of poking you have described?

good luck...he does sound very happy though

Hi Thank you

The classes are 30-45 minutes in a roughly 13 hour day and we do have quiet times at home when we cuddle and read (another hassle - he laughs and giggles all through the story reading ) and play with his toys. I let him know Mummy isn't happy when he plays rough. I get the distinct impression he thinks i'm a joke because he smiles the sweetest smile and carries on with whatever his doing. If i raise my voice or say NO firmly - his face is a picture as it crumbles and tears come......It's a no win....

Hi MsToni,

I have an 11 month baby girl and have a similar problem with her trying to scratch me, pull my nose etc. This week it has happened every bed time even though we have quiet time. I was discussing it with my dh last night and he says she's very excited and distracted at breakfast this week too. We've agreed that times are changing again and that she probably needs a bit more quiet time especially before bed.

Does your ds throw things too? Dd does to get attention which is new to us, we're trying to leave her a bit more to get on with whatever she's doing. At tea time I usually sit with her but once or twice this week I've been washing up or whatever and she's thrown food on the floor while holding eye contact with me, cheeky minx.

Be good to keep talking with you if you fancy, we could compare notes....

My little one is boisterous and has been at nursery for about a month. I worried about how they would handle him and I'm happy to report not problems, he loves it and I've heard nothing to suggest from them he is a problem. I guess all babies have different personalities and I'm sure once he settles into nursery he will be fine and boundaries about how to play will be with other.

Sorry about the mangled English in that message, I'm sooooooooo tired!