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where am i going wrong? 21 mnths

14 replies

WitchyWooWoo · 24/05/2010 23:46

my son is 21 months old and i just dont know what to do. He's started hitting, kicking, throwing heavy objects at me, its like hes the hulk hehe one minute hes beautiful and cuddly, just lovely then he goes green and angry and continues this for most of the day.

I play with him, read, have colouring in and sticker time, 3 solid meals, with fruit snacks(grapes and the like) in the afternoon and try to give him all the things he enjoys doing but it doesn't seem enough. he throws most of his food on the floor.

DH wants me to start taking him to toddler groups, which im dreading. he did go to a baby one but i stopped for a while and all i can think about is what he might be like with other children i.e the violence.

He tantrums whenever he gets his nappy changed too, kicking me furiously in the stomach. Im a sahm too so he gets a lot of attention from me. on the other hand hes usually a saint with his dad (who works) and grandparents.

sorry this is a bit disjointed i'm absolutely shattered but not sleeping well. i can't discipline him at all. no means nothing in this house.

any advice would be fantastic, even if its telling me to get a grip and just go with it, as thats how little boys are

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BertieBotts · 25/05/2010 00:15

You're not going wrong - he's just nearly two! My 19 month old is very similar. I am a SAHM too and a lone parent so it's quite full on but I have a few coping strategies.

Toddler groups are a good way to help them let their energy out - they probably will fight with the other children a bit, but if they are all around the same age, you tend to find other parents are understanding, and you just separate them and they have a bit of a screaming fit on the floor and then move on to the next activity having completely forgotten about it. I tend to focus more on turn taking than sharing, because I think that sharing is hard for a little toddler to understand. But DS will now wait (sometimes) if someone else is playing with something he wants, if I say "It's X's turn now, you can have a go in a minute" and then give him the toy as soon as X loses interest.

Also when they do snack time at the groups, DS is a different child and eats everything in front of him, at home he often throws food on the floor or just refuses it.

Nappy changes, he probably just doesn't want to lie on the floor. Have you tried using pull ups instead? They are more expensive, but for us, it turned out to just be a phase. DS now lies down to be changed most of the time. It is possible to do up a normal nappy when they are standing up but it takes practice!

Discipline - I don't tend to lean towards punishments/rewards, he is still little, and there is a lot more to it than that anyway. He does sometimes pay attention if I say "No" but I try to use different words, so for example when he is hitting, I say "Too rough" and hold his arms away so he can't hit me, or take away the thing he is hitting with, and when I notice him being gentle I say "Good, nice and gentle, that is lovely". Every word, you have to back up with an action - so don't just say "No" without moving him or stopping him from doing whatever it is. (Of course this is an ideal and not always possible/I don't always have the energy to do so, but if you apply an action 60% of the time or more then they can be more sure of what you mean when you use the word another time)

If he keeps going back to the same thing again and again, like trying to touch the cooker knobs, or destroying something I can't move out of his reach, or keeps attacking me etc then I either stop what I am doing and we have a complete change of scene ie move rooms, go into the garden (even in the rain, but he loves being outside) give him a bath, (he's usually too tired and hysterical for baths at bedtime) or go out somewhere, or if I can't do this or haven't got the energy to deal with it I just pick him up and put him somewhere out of trouble, this is usually in his playpen, or strapped in his highchair/pushchair watching CBeebies or a DVD.

Keeping to at least a rough routine is vital, this is hard for me, I am not routine minded! But toddlers always want to know what comes next, and because they have such limited language they do better if they can predict what happens next because they are used to the routine. Also a routine helps you to get them to bed at a reasonable time, which is a lifesaver - the nights DS doesn't sleep are worse because I am already worn out at the end of my tether with him. He has just dropped his only nap, so if he sleeps in the day (even if woken) he's up until 10, but if he doesn't sleep, he's difficult and grouchy in the afternoons. I am just putting him to bed early and hoping he comes through this phase quickly!

blueberrysorbet · 25/05/2010 07:46

I found toddler groups great, go to a few to see which one suits you and him. you will find mums might just let the little ones get on with it a bit- just stay close and separate anything, not letting your ds have games spoiled or spoil things himself for others- mums behave differently so just go to groups until you find one you like, take him swimming etc as well.
I moved to changing ds to standing for nappies, its easier after a few times and he is growing up, doesn't want to lie down like a baby..
my ds can be like that if he is bored, hungry, tired, so we are up and out by 9.30 (parks, shopping, play dates, tourist stuff is good) back for lunch, walk and park in the afternoon, keeping them busy is really important! regular snacks (apple, cheese straws we made) and lots of water. good luck! you sound like you are doing a good job, just need to help him move on to next stage of growing up

ExplodingBananas · 25/05/2010 21:36

Do try the toddler groups/classes to see if they suit you. Sometimes these things are worse if you are at home all day as cabin fever sets in. If you get out lots, whether it's toddlers, shopping, the park or even just into the garden the change of scene can help.

AngeChica · 25/05/2010 21:45

Boredom is the enemy, and being cooped up in the house. We take DS out to the beach, park, woods a lot to expend his energy and it really helps with his behaviour I find.

WitchyWooWoo · 26/05/2010 21:34

im taking him to a toddler group tomorrow, seemingly its one where he can just run around and play but with activities too if he fancies them. Also tried some of your suggestions.

Getting his nappies changed while standing up seems to work. once ive got through the remaining nappies here im going to get the pull ups.

When having a tantrum i get down to his level and speak quietly to him.

Also walked away saying "Mummy's not interested"

these have both worked. praising a lot more for the nice things

we had a time out as well. i put him in his cot after a rampage, he just fell asleep so must have been tired. sorted his room out for me to put him in there if both he and i need a time out. slowly but surely is my new mantra :D

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3littlefrogs · 26/05/2010 21:41

Is he getting enough sleep? He probably still needs a good afternoon nap.

WitchyWooWoo · 26/05/2010 21:49

he has 3 hours during the day

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WitchyWooWoo · 26/05/2010 21:50

well 2 usually, depends on how well he sleeps at night but has slept through from 7-7 since he was about 5 months old.... so no problem sleeping

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Joolyjoolyjoo · 26/05/2010 22:00

I do think it is a "phase". My ds is 2.6 and coming out of it (but into new, whiny phase, sigh) You might be pleasantly surprised at toddler group- my younger two were both (and still are at times) very aggressive and squabbly with each other, but angels at nursery/ toddler group- 2 tier behaviour!

WitchyWooWoo · 27/05/2010 19:06

well ladies, he was an angel at toddler group a couple of little strops when i stopped him "stealing" toys from other children but so far so good. he had a massive strop when he wasn't allowed any more toast at snack time but he was exhausted by then so just took him home. so far so good.

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skidoodly · 27/05/2010 19:14

"I play with him, read, have colouring in and sticker time"

Do you spend most of the day doing stuff with him? Maybe you could try just leaving him to his own devices a bit more?

megonthemoon · 27/05/2010 19:25

My DS is a little bit older at 26mo and I've been dealing with this sort of stuff for about 6mths!

So far as I can tell, boys of this age need to be exhausted but still have good naps! My DS is so much more of an angel if running around screeching happily or walking everywhere etc. Rainy days are a nightmare! Toddler groups, walks in the park, running around the garden, little active games in the house etc.

I am trying to be fairly zen rather than getting wound up and at loggerheads with him and it seems to be working - my blood pressure stays down and he seems to respond better. So I pretty much just ignore bad behaviour (unless it is dangerous or he is about to break something etc) - firm Nos then if he ignores me I just get up and walk away until the behaviour stops saying "I am not going to be with you if you behave like that". Today he refused to come upstairs for a nappy change so I made it very clear that he must and just went and waited for him to come (read a book in my room!) occasionally shouting back "time for nappy change". After about 10 long mins, he finally came up teh stairs all smiles and complied happily! It is a battle of wills, but he always gives in eventually if I don't and remain calm while doing it. Really he just wants to be where I am and play with me so if I take that away because of behaviour I don't like then he soon comes round. And I lavish attention when he is being lovely - it is so easy to ignore them when they are playing nicely or being helpful but actually I think if you can reinforce that nice things happen when they do that (cuddle, kiss, big smile from mum etc.) and they just get ignored when it is bad then that helps to change their behaviour. Obviously it doesn't always work, and I do lose my rag often, but this zen approach works a lot better so I try really hard!

Also do you get him to help with household chores? If my DS is being a little tike, it is usually because he is actually a bit bored with toys or whatever. Invariably if I say "do you want to do some washing up" or "do you want to do the laundry" he says yes as to him it is interesting and different. He puts clothes in to the washing machine, or takes them out, or he washes up spoons and plastic plates and cups etc. I get my jobs done and he has fun! One he loves is I get him to decide where things belong when tidying. I pretend I don't know where to put something "oh where should this used tissue live DS, I don't know" - "BIN MUMMY BIN" and he pootles off to put it there. Then "Where should this teatowel go?" "KITCHEN" and off he goes - I found it placed nicely on the radiator today

You have my sympathies. This is a really really hard age (from about 18mo I think) and it is taking all my energy just to think about strategies for dealing with it. Expecting DC2 in Sept and can barely think about it as so much to deal with with DS and I'm just assuming that a newborn will be dead easy compared to this!

megonthemoon · 27/05/2010 19:27

agree with skidoodly too - plenty of time to learn to entertain himself and being quite firm about not playing even if he comes and asks you to play with him.

WitchyWooWoo · 28/05/2010 12:25

he plays a lot by himself, i dont smother him he's quite happy to entertain himself

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