Terrible twos / threenager support thread

[Belleende]

Hello all,

Thought I would start this and see where is goes. I am mum to 2 DDS. One 7 weeks and one 2.5. currently on mat leave.

My DD1 has always been a lively high energy kid, but has lately been incredibly challenging. Last week it took me 1.5 hours to get her into her clothes and out the door. I started a thread here and got great support.

There are lots of separate threads with good advice on, but I thought it might be helpful to have a go to place for help support and advice on dealing with the daily challenges of toddler wrangling.

My current challenges include, how to get dressed without a drama, how to manage transitions without meltdowns, to nap or not to nap, how to maintain sanity when toddler asks for a bath and then refuses to get in it, how to keep it light and playful when you are feeling just short of murderous.

Say howdy if you think this might be useful and we can go from there.

Sorry that post was was for Cat.

Ruby any chance of a nap?? Or will he nap if you go out and get coffee.

It's so hard when there's something not right and you just have to pretend to be patient :(

First full afternoon in nursery so I'm in the pub near school eating cake

Sleeping for you. Premature babies are little fighters, he has spent a lot of time being poorly and it could be that he is just catching up. Anyway it sounds like you are doing a great job fighting his corner to give him the best possible start.

Yeah, the lack of speech slows things, I know a few others on here have late talkers and it just keeps that toddler frustration going for longer. He's super though, marches round the house counting to 10 in his own language lol

Hi can I join you all? I have an "energetic" almost 2 year old and a 4 month old who he is making napping very difficult for,

He hits all the time and is constantly doing what he is asked not to do. I try asking nicely, try distracting him, then resort to telling off and end up getting mad then feel bad. Just don't know what to do with him.

How was everyone's night? Ds refused his dinner and screamed for pudding the whole time. But he did sleep through the night.

Slept through with a few self settled cried, nursery is knackering him out big time

Mine were sleeping through regularly but now keep waking up for milk! They're having lots too which presumably means they are actually hungry, rather than just on a quest to break me they eat SO MUCH during the day though! No idea how to stop them wanting more!

We go on holiday on Saturday with the in laws - wish me luck, everyone!! Then when we come back the DC have a special preschool event where they take in decorated Easter bonnets to wear. Guess who'll be faffing around with glue and fluffy chicks the night before?!

Oh my God I hope we have to do Easter bonnets at nursery!!!!!

I mean, good luck with the holiday!

I swear they are tag teaming - DS2 up at 1am for milk - DS1 up 4.30am then faffing around in his cot till 6.15am - DS2 up 6.16am 😩

I am watching Teletubbies with DS2 and trying not to lose the will to live... I could do one of their sleep patterns (DS1 is fast asleep again) but not both together!

Do you have a DH who helps?

Ugh Ruby, hats off to you for dealing with two of them.

Last night my little terror woke up and wouldn't go back to sleep so we brought him up into our bed. Then he wanted a drink so we gave him some out of my water bottle. Then he screamed blue murder if I tried to take it off him, and managed to spill water in the process, all over himself and my bed.

Oh good lord you and Ruby need an afternoon nap!

Sleeping
And Ruby imagine that's a triple espresso!

Hi lizzle I am trying a new strategy with my almost 2 year old, he keeps throwing toys when he is frustrated, after the first few times where I say if you get stuck ask mummy for help I pick him up and put him on his bed (live in a flat so no stairs, bedroom is opposite living room) say 'no throwing, it's dangerous' then take him back to the living room. I think a proper time out is probably too much for their age but removing them from the situation at least makes them forgot the thing they were doing before hand half the time.

Tired because went on a night out last night Only started going out in the evenings after DS turned 1 (bf) and I go maybe 3/4 months but he gets so upset even though he's always with DM/DH
Next baby I am going to express and share bedtimes with DH! It's the one thing I really think I made a 'rod for my own' back in.

We have been on holiday for 10 days with no WiFi 😱😱

DC were lovely whilst away (Well most of the time!) - today they are the toddlers from hell - scratching, biting, hitting, shouting etc. Sigh. I think it's going from constant attention from 4 people (parents + grandparents) to only my attention, and even that's not 100% as the house is such a shit tip that I have loads of tidying to do...

How is everyone? The checkout lady at Tesco today suggested that I have a nice glass of later, having seen me struggle with the hellbeasts. I may well do just that once they are in bed!

Alisha Dixon popped over to MNHQ today - so we thought we'd ask her opinion: enjoy!