My 2.5 year old is driving me up the wall today

[Bumbolina]

I'm so tired, I also have a 7 week old. I just want to veg and watch telly, but my toddler just wants to whinge, and moan, and get my attention. I understand - I really do - I'd be the same if I was 2 with a new brother, and she's probably tired too.

Today, however, I just want someone else to be Mum for a change. Someone else to be in demand.

I tried the ToddlerCalm tactic of giving myself time out to breathe when she started throwing stuff - but she followed me to the toilet and whinged and cried through the door.

We have managed a group this morning and making cakes this afternoon, so on the face of it we're doing quite well - it just doesn't feel that way somehow !

It can be so hard with a new one and a toddler can't it. Could you be doing too much though? If you do want to veg, wouldn't she be happy with a den and cbeebies?

Not today unfortunately - I made a den later this afternoon and had put all her favourite programmes on from catch-up after coming back from the group but nothing was working.
She just ended up getting restless, bored and frustrated with me - hence the cakes/den as I tried to focus her on something good rather than frustration/acting-up etc to see if I'd notice.
I try my best to give her attention I swear she gets more now than previously, she just doesn't realise it because all she sees is baby!

I so know what you mean about wanting someone else to be mum for a day. While they did that, I'd lie in bed by myself, read magazines, drink cups of tea that aren't cold, and sleeeeeeep! I have a 2.9yo and a 5 week old so I feel your pain. My dd seems to have lost the ability or desire to play independently, and just needs so much from me that I'm completely wrung out by bedtime (which is when ds usually wakes up from his long afternoon snooze and starts feeding/fussing til midnight...). It's such hard work isn't it. Today I'd had enough by mid afternoon, bundled dd in the pushchair and ds in the sling and went for a walk - felt loads better for it, especially as they both eventually went to sleep and I got half an hour to myself when we got home (dd stopped napping ages ago but is tired at the moment as she has a cold and teeth coming through). I'm definitely going to do that again!
for us and anyone else coping with sleep deprivation hell and a grumpy toddler...!