WTF happened to my 2 year old???

[blondiep14]

DS was 2 in Feb, and had got a new baby brother in January.
Apart from the normal jealousy issues and getting in to a big bed way before we'd planned (kept climbing out of his cot) things have been fine.
He's a lively boy, some would say 'spirited' but has always been quite even-tempered so long as he gets out and about etc. Loves being outside whatever the weather.
The last few weeks have seen him become an absolute horror.
He screams and shouts and cries every single time he doesn't get his own way, can't do something or is told off. That doesn't really describe the meltdowns that take place but hopefully you can imagine a small nuclear attack.
It is EXHAUSTING and makes me so cross. I need to cope better with it and also, please god, be told it won't last forever.

I hear you!

DS was 2 in January and he got a sister in the October before and he too is a total handful and has regular meltdowns and is always pushing and shoving other children in Toddler group and...and...and..!

It is exhausting as you say and makes me cross too but I'm hoping that at some point he becomes an angel.

Often when we're out I look at the mums of one and am so

At some point it has to become easier... Doesn't it?!!!

Sorry but it's just age. And it lasts a while. I just walked into the house with my three year old and went to put the kettle on. She started screeching like there had been a terrible accident. I ran back to her and asked what was wrong as she appeared to be 100% fine, bar the tears.

"You no put telly on mummy" was the reply

Incidents like this happen several times a day. If she can't reach a toy she wants she breaks down. If I don't get her milk instantly, she breaks down, if she can't find the cat, she breaks down.....

Erm... I think the clue is in the title! He's 2. It all sounds v. familiar. It won't last forever only a few years

I know how exasperating it can be - I found it easiest if I could keep calm and matter-of-fact and ignore - by ignore I don't mean ignore him, but act as if he's not stropping, talk normally, etc. Keep a sense of humour if you can. Sometimes easier said than done though.

Also keep him well-stuffed with snacks - they are growing a lot at this age and often hunger makes them kick off.

Aaaaaaah!!
I just read the 'too physical with toddler' thread and could have written it myself.
I take deep breaths and count to 10 but he just keeps squeezing the paddy out. You can literally see him making himself furious.
Last night he went beserk at bedtime with his dad who usually has the patience of a saint and got so worked up he was sick everywhere. Luckily I was at fat club so missed that gem. Even DP was fuming

Same here, 2yo in Feb who was an absolute angel up until about a month ago.
Now he is scarily assertive whinging moaning fussing ... all the time .

I've found with DS (now 4.3) that the patches of bad behaviour have lasted about 6-8 weeks. It's like they get a hormone surge and need to rage to get it out. DS is currently going through a defiant phase - the answer to everything is 'No'. It's been about 2 weeks so far so am hoping it's another 4-6 weeks and then through the other side.

Good luck - it's exhausting sometimes and I find it hard to stay patient too.

Could it also be that, now that the baby is five months old and probably alert, smiling, cooing etc rather than just sleeping, he might have had a revisitation from the green-eyed monster??

could well be green-eyed monster resurging I guess. DS2 absolutely adores DS1 and even DS1 finds it hard to resist him. Paddy's also occur when DS2 nowhere near or by, not that that rules it out I know.
Dastardly, I reckon on your theory I have another 3 or 4 weeks then...wish us luck!

Glad i found this thread as i was beginning to question whether my 2.7 yr old ds was normal! He's always been spirited but recently has become a right handful. It has coincided with the arrival of my dd (10 weeks) and i understand that it is normal but i am getting sick of his tantrums and boisterous behaviour. doesn't help that i am tired from the new baby!
anyway
this too shall pass - this too shall pass!

I too am very glad to have found this!! My 2.5 year old swings between being the sweetest thing and a banshee!! Am going to try the jollying along tactic and the ignoring. But, oh my, the whinging is very wearing.

My 2.8 yr old is like it too. Used to be the sweetest, cheeriest little thing, is going through a major stroppy phase: 'I want...' 'I don't want...' to everything, flinging her drink across the room if it's in the wrong cup, crying and whingeing when there's absolutely nothing wrong with her. God I hope it's just a two year old thing and it'll stop.

I too could have written the OP. DS1 (2.5) driving me nuts as he's becoming so pernickerty (sp?) with everything, irritable, ubertired but will not nap, just ends up throwing and kicking things about in the most calming activities...! It is partly because they Are 2 but if it coincides with a new sibling it is even worse, and can be for up to a year as they adjust.

My techniques are: staying calm myself (sooo hard), recognising their emotion as real and understandable, distract, distract, then if that doesn't help, just walk away as long as they are safe. Sometimes you have to resort to doing something really funny, bizarre, etc, to shock them out of their bad mood, eg I brushed DS1's tummy after he refused to let me brush his teeth, he giggled after a while and then conceded to let me brush his teeth. Getting inanimate objects to talk sense to him is also a winner. Another one is reciting his favourite books eg the gruffalo, we're going on a bear hunt. V welcome to hear others' toddler taming skills as I need more!

hurrah, i'm not alone. although i wouldn't wish it on anyone it's so good to hear other people having exactly the same issues. i could have written all of the above myself. mine has just spent the last half hour crying out becasue her pillow is hot..so i made the mistake of turning it over..5 mins later'mummy, pillow hot again' until huge tantrum when i refused to carry on playing that particular game. the other day she was having a paddy about something else so i ignored and started wiping kitchen sides down...then she remembered she had helped me do thst the previous day so demande 'i do it' climbed on a chair and snatched cloth and proceeded to wipe sides whilst screaming head off..if anyone walked past the window they;d think we'd put her to work..
please please let it pass quickly. am heavily pregnant and not coping too well and absolutely dreading the impact the new arrival will have.

Driedapricots, lol at flipping the pillow story! We too have "I do it" constantly, at the most inappropriate times. I am learning that once I let him do something I might be letting him think he will always do that, no matter what!