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For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

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For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Parenting

Is it just me, or is 16 to 18 months-ish a really difficult age?

47 replies

Bumpsadaisie · 13/03/2013 10:54

My son is nearly 17 months, lovely, very cute, very funny and learning stuff all the time. But goodness I am finding it hard at the mo. His sleep is awful. He is having loads of bumps and tumbles as he insists on throwing himself around the place. He is into everything. He thinks hitting his sister and us in the face is a funny game. He is getting much more anxious about separating from me than he used to - even though its only his doting grandparents that he goes to two days a week (and has done for 8 months now, and loves them to bits).

I don't remember it being like this with DD, but maybe I have blanked it out, I can't remember much about it really!

Anyone else in the same boat? And is there anyone with say a 20/22 month old who can reassure me that in a few months it will be MUCH MUCH BETTER??!!

Thanks all
love Bumps x

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minicc · 23/03/2013 14:00

So far I've had 2 mini tantrums and a full blown as I wouldn't let her jump on the bed as I was trying to put the sheet on. She fell asleep on the car at 9:30 and slept till 11:30 after I popped her in her cot. I'm trying to convince her to have another half hour and she's jumping in her cot singing 'Mama! Mama!'. I'm so tired with her waking in the night after sleeping through since forever. And she's got a another bloody cold......

Bumpsadaisie · 14/03/2013 22:49

Agreed, Fish! At this rate my son is going to be auditioning for RADA by the time he is 18 mths...

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fishcalledwonder · 14/03/2013 22:43

DD has started throwing a huge tantrum every time I put her in her cot. Such fun!

mardarse · 14/03/2013 21:26

Oh bless his cotton socks, Enormouse. It's all about the drama when you're a toddler.

enormouse · 14/03/2013 19:13

Thought I'd share this as it was quite funny. DS teethed on his daddy earlier and DP informed him very calmly that we don't do things like that. DS plonked himself down and sobbed into his hands in the most heartbroken way possible. (Actually don't know where he gets his sense of drama from, MIL probably). But he apparently continued to bear a grudge against his dad for the whole day, even at his grandparents. Hope everyone's 16-18mo's are well and haven't caused too much of a ruckus. Xx

ceeveebee · 13/03/2013 22:56

My twins will be 16 mo on Friday. Oh joy.

Misty9 · 13/03/2013 22:54

Can I join too? 18mo ds here and although he's been biting and throwing things for a while, he's now perfected a very annoying whine to accompany most of his day. I really hope he grows out of the biting thing soon as I have to watch him like a hawk with other children :(
As a sahm I'm still waiting to discover my age/stage forte...

Dirtymistress · 13/03/2013 15:28

This thread has definitely made me feel better. Thought I was the only one with a trying 17 month old so nice to know I'm not alone. Know it's going to get a lot worse now I have teeny tiny ds2 to add to the bedlam, but goodness they do bring me much joy along with the stress

OneLittleToddleTerror · 13/03/2013 14:40

mardarse DD is on a ikea junior chair. I wouldn't risk a booster chair as she would topple an adult chair. (Which she had done when out). She loves pushing the chair backwards with her hands on the table. The ikea junior chair is wide leg so is more stable. She doesn't actually throw her food all the time in the junior chair. It's only when she was upset by something. Like the rabbit incident. The only problem with the junior chair is her getting down it halfway through the meal. I guess that's why she isn't upset by it. The freedom of leaving when she likes.

And yes, my DD favourite word is NO NO NO. And I feel like a broken record saying NO all the time.

mardarse · 13/03/2013 14:31

OneLittleToddlerTerror, I hear you. We have food throwing strops here too - to the point where we are replacing our carpet with laminate as it's wipe clean!

Have you tried a booster seat thing, rather than highchair? They fasten on to your dining room chairs and made my DD feel all grown up when we transfered her. No such luck with DS, he still throws and refuses food whilst sat in one.

In all honesty, I don't think I'm the best mother of a toddler either, I find is so wearing and a constant battle. I often feel like DD misses out as so much of my energy and time is taken up by DS. Yesterday we braved the library as DD (4.3 loves her books), she sat and chose books whilst I chased round like a loon after him. I swear he thinks his name is "DS No". I am no earth mother, that's for sure!

Bumpsadaisie · 13/03/2013 14:23

Enormous - rollerblading - ha ha ha! You made me laugh with that one.

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Bumpsadaisie · 13/03/2013 14:22

I think the empty nest phase will be my phase, when I really come into my own as a mother.

I will be warm, loving and sympathetic to my DCs. From a distance

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firawla · 13/03/2013 14:18

depends on the child I think but if they are really difficult now it may be out of their system by the time they get to 2, whereas some are okay at this age and worse at 2+
my 3rd is around this age at the moment - 19 months and he is going through a stubborn phase, and can not talk yet either so its not the easiest stage

OneLittleToddleTerror · 13/03/2013 14:15

mardarse I'm dreading the terrible twos. I think it's building up for it. She will throw a tantrum at the slightest problem. For example, a couple of weeks ago, she threw her bowl of weetabix across the dining table because her rabbits aren't downstairs to eat breakfast. I keep telling her mummy will go and fetch your rabbits. And I'm sure she understands me.

When we go out, she won't stay in a pushchair anymore. Problem is she won't walk either. She will no longer sit in her high chair.

fishcalledwonder · 13/03/2013 13:58

This thread has really cheered me up!

16mo DD here. Mostly lovely, but definitely more clingy and throwing wobblers at the slightest frustration. Also starting to hit and lash out in anger.

purplewithred · 13/03/2013 13:56

I would quite happily have farmed mine out for that whole year from walking to second birthday. It was appalling and I was not at my best as mother of toddlers. Found the terrible twos much easier, and it's carried on getting better all the way.

Think I have now found my forte as an almost empty nester. anyone?

enormouse · 13/03/2013 13:52

Lol at freecycle. Teethings awful, I feel so sorry for them. Just going by this thread I'm sure she'll be better by then chocolatecoins. Xx

ChocolateCoins · 13/03/2013 13:48

DD is 18 months and I'm finding her so so difficult right now. It only seems to have started the last month or so. DS is due in July so I'm hoping this horrible phase will be over by then!

I do feel quite sorry for her as she gets frustrated so easily. Two of the pages in one of her books was stuck together and she went crazy after about 5 seconds of not being able to open it. Screaming and throwing herself about.

I recently night weaned her off bf, hoping it would help make her sleep better, but she still wakes up as much.

Her last molars are coming through too which doesn't help.

mardarse · 13/03/2013 13:44

OneLittleToddlerTerror, fingers in ears not listening. La la la la la

OneLittleToddleTerror · 13/03/2013 13:43

DD is 23mo and is worse than she's at 16-18mo. Sorry.

jammybean · 13/03/2013 13:41

Enormouse With the week I've had she's lucky it's not freegle! Letting her off as he's still not 100% bless her.

mardarse · 13/03/2013 13:39

This thread is just what I needed to read this morning. My 17 month old DS is a joy for everybody else but has such a temper and in the last couple of weeks has been so angry that I have struggled to get through to bedtime without wanting to ebay him. I don't remember DD being like this either, but maybe I have blocked that bit out.

So to summarise, it might get a bit better for a while then we'll hit terrrible twos and we'll be back to nightmare status. At least by then he might have a few more words to be less frustrated. .

Proffers gin / schloer all round.

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enormouse · 13/03/2013 13:37

Move to a different vice Bumps, maybe cigarettes or rollerblading.
jammy try ebay, 'charming, high spirited 18 month old, 1 previous owner'

jammybean · 13/03/2013 13:31

Great post OP. 18 months going on 15 here. I thought I'd take DD out for lunch as we've been cooped up for over a week with a nasty virus. What does she do? Screams blue murder in the street for 30 mins whilst I hurry her home. Now sleeping like butter wouldn't melt.

Free to a good home. Anyone?

Bumpsadaisie · 13/03/2013 13:21

Enormous - that's the thing I can't do- I've given up booze for Lent! Aargh. God knows I could do with a half pint glass of Harveys Bristol Cream at the mo.

Perhaps it was a good move. I would be drunk by midday if I hadn't, the way things have been this week

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