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Original poster

Toddler driving me insane!

59 replies

Gemzee · 30/03/2020 11:28

Anyone else being driven crazy by their children? My little boy is 20 months & I love him obviously but I am not cut out to be at home with him 24/7. I normally work in an office 3 days a week and he goes to nursery x 2 and gps x 1.
Now myself and my husband are both working from home (which we are lucky to be able to do) and my son is also home every day (been self isolating since the 18th as he had a temp - nothing since then though, probably teething).
I miss going to the office, I miss alone time, I miss not being screamed at!
To be fair my husband is amazing and we parent 50/50 (as it should be!) but I think we are all going insane.
Just wondered how everyone else with toddlers are getting along?
(By the way I always had so much respect for sahp but even more so now!).

OP posts:

Castleonacloud · 30/03/2020 16:15

I can’t offer any advice. I have an active 2 year old and an 8 year old, who both don’t have a mute/off button. Me and my husband are trying to work from home. I’m trying to set some kind of routine, but that doesn’t always happen. DS needs help with school work and DD needs constant supervision. I’m going crazy and had a complete meltdown and wrote my resignation letter. I haven’t sent it but they’ve sent me over the edge today!! I’m writing it off as a bad day and trying again tomorrow.

LajesticVantrashell · 30/03/2020 16:55

Someone missed the point of the thread @Shahira78 ...

Knocksomesense · 30/03/2020 16:58

Mine are 2y4m and 3y4m. They are watching far far too much telly

BrowncoatWaffles · 30/03/2020 17:15

I have a 5 and a 3 year old. A bit earlier I made myself a cup of coffee and grabbed a biscuit from the tin and hid them by the back door and cheerily told DH I was nipping outside to sort out the bins. All I wanted to do was eat my biscuit, have a couple of slurps of coffee and sit in the fresh (cold) air for a few minutes without hearing 'muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuummy'. It fucking started hailing on me. It felt personal.

DH is awesome but works longer hours and has more conference calls than me. The DC are mostly being great... but they're ALWAYS there and always wanting something.

weegiemum · 30/03/2020 17:55

If it makes you feel any better, my 18 YEAR old ds keeps walking into whatever room I'm in and saying "I'm boooooooored" as if I was there to entertain him. His 16 yo sister is much more self sufficient but he's just fed up. Now that he has no exams to do there's no studying to be done. He's going to drive me mad over the coming weeks!!

BringMeThatHorizon · 30/03/2020 18:02

Yep yep yep. My 17 month old is driving me crazy. He's being clingy and whiny and has a tantrum if I put him down so my back is killing me. Had all these grand plans of baking and cooking nice meals and I can't do anything as he screams so much he's sick if I'm standing up and not holding him. He's getting worse by the day. Meant to be working from home and I'm achieving absolutely nothing. This has been the longest week of my life and by the sounds of it we're just at the beginning!

Original poster

Gemzee · 30/03/2020 20:47

Currently crying into my wine as my toddler just keeps screaming upstairs (we put him to bed at 7pm!). Husband has gone to comfort him/lay on our bed with him.
This is the second night he hasn't slept.
I just need him to at least sleep so I can have a break from him.
Hate this all.
And yes I know it could it could be a lot lot worse! But I'm struggling.

OP posts:

Ingridla · 30/03/2020 20:53

It's so hard isn't it, my DS just turned 4 & is used it being at nursery 3 full days a week.I hate myself for feeling snappy & exhausted with him but it's tough

IrishMamaMia · 30/03/2020 21:05

Mine was difficult tonight too. Reminding myself that bedtime is always difficult when the clocks go forward.
I'm planning to get to bed early and hope tomorrow will be an easier day for those of us finding it very difficult, xx

Original poster

Gemzee · 30/03/2020 21:13

Very good plan. Today/Tonight has been the hardest for me since we self isolated on 18th. Tomorrow WILL be a better day! x

OP posts:

mylul · 30/03/2020 21:17

It is hard. My 24 months has to go out to the garden to burn the energy. I am SAHM and husband works from home. My solution is that use boxes with different toys, so I change them and it occupies them constantly. Football, running, bubbles in the garden. Nap in the middle of the day for sanity. :)

Figmentofimagination · 30/03/2020 21:18

I'm currently on week 2 of isolation with nearly 3yo DS and DH. If my toddler is not saying Mummy on repeat, he is asking "where's Daddy gone" whenever DH goes to the next room/upstairs etc. He even asks DH "where's Daddy gone".
He is driving us up the wall, and I'm dreading next week when our isolation is over and DH goes back to work (keyworker).

wobblywibble · 30/03/2020 23:25

I really wasn't coping last week, DH still working and I was trying to hold down full time job WFH whilst looking after my two year old. It was pure hell so by Wednesday had to ask my husband to take Thursday & Friday off just so I could get some work done - it was literally the busiest week of the year.
We're both off this week as it's DS birthday but I'm already dreading next week. I'll be here on my own again trying to keep DS entertained whilst work....like others he's watching far too much tv but I don't know what else to do.
Sending hand holds and wine to all

DressingGownofDoom · 30/03/2020 23:30

'I had them to be with them, look after them , nurture and educate'

Haven't you got some anti vax campaigning to do or something to weave out of hemp or something?

Original poster

Gemzee · 31/03/2020 05:42

For the second night in a row he didn't sleep. Left him upstairs with my husband and I have started work! (Luckily my work is flexible so hoping to finish at lunchtime).

OP posts:

MrsTerryPratchett · 31/03/2020 05:52

He didn't sleep because they get no bloody exercise indoors. They have to be run like dogs.

I salute you. I have absolutely no idea how people do it. When DD was small we were out all day every day. It was the only thing that kept me sane. She does have ADHD but even so.

May I suggest rocking in a corner saying "this too will pass" over and over again.

And yes, I miss two year old DD. But not enough to pretend that I'd wish this situation on myself.

Original poster

Gemzee · 31/03/2020 06:28

Haha that made me smile thanks!

OP posts:

WhateverHappenedToBathPearls · 31/03/2020 06:32

I had them to be with them, look after them , nurture and educate them

I had mine to love and nurture too, but I'm quite happy to outsource the educating to professionals! I have DS who is 26 months and normally goes to nursery full time. He's being very sweet but it's exhausting trying to keep him entertained with both of us trying to WFH, we don't have much outdoor space and aren't used to doing craft etc with him.as they do loads at nursery. Its a learning curve!

MsChatterbox · 31/03/2020 06:40

I think the cause of your frustrations is having to work from home. I love being with my toddler full time but absolutely could not do it whilst working from home. I was just trying to write an email yesterday and felt stressed doing that with him there! Not saying you need to stop, just saying it's not that you're not cut out for it. Just that you're doing two jobs at once and that's why you feel stressed!

greytminds · 31/03/2020 06:52

It’s the working and looking after DD (2) that’s doing for me. There is no downtime because from 6am when she wakes up I am either working, looking after her or making a meal. It all feels quite tense as DH and I are doing shifts to look after her and get work done but we are both busy. Yesterday was a total disaster as DH blew up at me after I had the whole morning to work, then DD wouldn’t nap (bloody clocks changing!) and I’d planned another call expecting her to be asleep.

My boss seems to think I’ll be able to work as normal but the reality is so very different and I feel like I’m failing at everything.
I would love to just be at home with her without the stress of work hanging over me.

Sipperskipper · 31/03/2020 07:26

Finding it really hard. I usually only work very part time (one day a week!) so am used to being with DD (nearly 3) most of the time. However, our week is broken up by a couple of preschool mornings, lots of trips to the park, long bike rides, meeting friends, generally getting out and about etc. I really enjoy it and DD is great company.

DH is now WFH, but still has a hell of a lot of work, and I am now doing a fair bit of work from home (senior nurse & pregnant - so can’t be patient facing, but needing to do covid related planning etc). Going a bit stir crazy (thankful for a garden though) and I feel like DD is missing the social interaction she usually gets.

Feeling very down about it as realistically for me, it will be until the baby comes at the end of August.

I know it could be much worse, and I am thankful for our health, but finding it very claustrophobic.

unhappyclap · 31/03/2020 07:47

Happy I found this thread. Not just me struggling with entertaining an almost 2 year old! And work from home. Tbh I've sort of given up on the working from home and told my boss this, he totally gets it. Single parent as well, so DS comes to me for everything. If I have to watch Mr Tumble one more time though....!!!!

Oreoed · 31/03/2020 07:49

I agree, I am not okay.

Readysetcake · 31/03/2020 08:05

Also finding it hard! I have 4.5y and just turned 2y old. Few things suit both at the same time and they fight a lot. My usual survival strategy on non work days was to be out of the house for at least half the day. Obviously can’t do that anymore. Also finding my job taking a back seat to DHs full time better paid job, so have anxiety that I’m not doing a good job. And we were meant to be moving house as I hate where I live and now stuck here, forever with each hour feeling like a year. I find myself drinking waaay too much. Anyone else find they’re having to hold off pouring wine every night ?! I

CoodleMoodle · 31/03/2020 08:10

DD 6yo and DS 20mo here! I'm not really working (very very part time and just helping out remotely where I can), but loosely homeschooling DD and keeping DS out of her way is a challenge.

He's extremely clingy and hates me giving her any sort of attention, and wants to be involved in everything she's doing. That includes when she's spent forever setting up a complicated Playmobil scene and he lurches towards it! I usually manage to stop him but then he's furious...

And DD is in a whingy, stroppy phase. We're not going crazy on the homeschooling stuff, but she's either super keen or moans the whole time, no in between.

Neither of them are sleeping terribly well, probably due to not enough exercise, and I'm struggling.

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