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.

And on top of it all a husband with the terrible man flu that renders them incapable of dealing with the same shit we have to.
Top your water up and have an hour

I have found the holy grail of getting my child to wear clothes. Prewarm then on the radiator. I am hoping it last at least a week.

DD suddenly won’t go to sleep when it is my turn to put her to bed but does for Daddy.

DS did not sleep last night. He just didn't. I think we got a few stretches of an hour or so, but that was about it. Not sure if the issue was his cough, but he was well dosed up and he seemed to start crying before he started coughing so I think the crying was setting him off coughing rather than the other way around? It was blowing a gale though (we seem to have acquired a shed roof at the top of the garden 😳) so maybe that was keeping him awake?

In any case, I am packing him off to his childminder this afternoon and am seriously considering taking myself back to bed - either that or a very long hot bath... I should go and do the weekly supermarket run, but screw you future self, Aldi on two hours of sleep is not happening!

Fingers crossed for better nights all round tonight...

Do it spudlet

DD is wild this morning. I don't think even a tag team of Andy and Justin could get her dressed.

Spudlet definitely have a bath or a nap. Aldi is fab for cheap food but like you, I cannot face it in my precious child-free time, and as for taking the DC there..... I do online shopping instead and the occasional trip to a supermarket during nap time.

Have a lovely bath silky - I am still suffering from this flu after 3 weeks because I never get chance to rest - of course the second my OH feels a sniffle coming on, he takes to bed and refuses to lift a finger to help with the house or DC

The HV stories cheered me up yesterday whilst I tried to deal with a scratching, biting DS2, and DS1 in an utter tizzy after 10 minutes at the park. No reason that I could see for it, but he wanted to go home; we went home, he had another tizzy because we weren't out feeding the ducks.

In any case I'm sure your HV would far rather visit you than us, my OH used to regale the poor ladies with tales of his DIY, they couldn't wait to escape!!

My DC are currently at the childminders and I have a blissfully peaceful house. It would be a time for relaxing if DS1 hadn't spilt birdseed all over the carpet just before we went out. Birdseed is much harder than I thought to get out of carpets

Aw my small child, after several temper tantrums this morning, is being a sook. Curled up on my lap watching cbeebies proms. She is tired but won't have a nap. So this is choice for quiet time. It's nice, except I really want a cup of tea. Feeling cold. But at least she's not subjecting me to frozen

silky have you tried the "Oh how kind are you sharing, such a kind girl, come here for a hug" then the "baby only gets special food, shall we keep raisins for us?"

Killing it with kindness approach?

With everyone on the escape for some peace. Had a hospital appointment today. Was bliss having even 2hrs to "myself"

I can beat that. I got to go and see the new starwars with my snuggly new born. DP looked after the feral one. It was my favourite treat on my first mat leave, but harder to get to this time round. It was lush

Lucky you. I got blood taken only 3 vials but that's a good excuse to eat chocolate isn't it?

Ive go dinner and cocktails end of month!!!!

standing Switswoo! Cocktails and grown up talk!

Childminder texted me to say she had a migraine 10 minutes before I was due to set off 😖 But DH was working from home, saw how sad I was and took the afternoon off to look after DS, so I still got my bath and nap (actually, I fell asleep in the bath )

He's a good'un ❤️

Ruby could you invite some birds round to deal with it?? Failing that DD2 is an expert at finding and eating tiny things she shouldn't have so I'm sure she'd help you out.
I've had a crap day today. Not dc-related in fact DD1 was so lovely when she came home from nursery it was the nicest part of the day.

So glad I have found this?! Any tips on dealing with a 2.5 year old who jumps on me every single fucking time I sit down???! It's relentless, if I sit on the sofa or lie in bed she body slams me like a WWE wrestler. If I sit at the dining table she clambers up me. Every day we have the same argument about letting me drink my coffee before she jumps on me. So so so sick of it.

On a side note, I agree with a pp about giving two choices. Dd for some reason hates dp putting her to bed so if she's reluctant to go to bed I give her the choice of me or dp doing it and suddenly she's straight upstairs (choices though aren't working with the jumping issue)

DD does that to dh and it drives him mad too. I'm afraid we haven't found a solution yet though.

Gloriana our DD does this to anyone who is sitting on the floor (easier to work around than your issue). It is annoying. With this kind of behaviour, we usually tell DD to stop firmly twice and then the third time we send her 'down the hall'. Our house is all on one floor with a long hallway to the front door, so it's the furthest we can send her! I guess it's like time out, we ask her to sit there until we come and get her. It's taken a few weeks but the threat of it has worked on those type of irritating behaviours. I have been told that time out isn't recommended for toddlers anymore though so what do I know!

Last night DS brought an entire feed up at 4am, soaking me, DH and our bed. Had to change everything and then couldn't get back to sleep. I have no idea how that boy continues to grow with the amount of puking he does. And now here I am at 6 watching some shite on kids tv and being told off by DD every time I lie down.

Apparently I will look back on this time with fondness.

Haha Gloria my DD also likes to wrestle me! Not fun at 630am! She threw up over her muslin cloth in toddler group today and then got annoyed as I wouldn't give it back to her as it was covered in puke!

gloria I found having a spare tickling hand 'guarding' me while drink tea prevented wrestling / jumping etc.

Or Dora / peppa etc depending on my mood

Ffs two hours.of near constant whinging. It's proper icy here. sleet and slushy snow all frozen into an ice rink so can't even just go out.

Have put on meg & mog dvd and dragged blankets & duvet onto couch. She's having a banana. The peace will not last.

Hahaha wolves, people say that to me too!! "You'll miss the little days" - I look at them and think hmmm, you didn't spend four hours sleeping on the sofa last night because DS1 was sobbing and would only calm down with repeated viewings of the Gruffalo

No snow here fudge but it is freeeeezing! DCs are at their grandparents this morning - hooray - means I have finally washed my hair for the first time in 4 days!! I am watching some TV and considering - only considering, mind - picking up bits of half eaten toast off the carpet.....

Someone actually said you'll miss the little days?!! Wow! I suppose time heals all things...../ rewrites history!
Mine both knackered but haven't napped either. It will mean early bed tonight though so every cloud!

A few people have jellycat! Although they are all people who no longer have any small children, and have forgotten the scale of a toddler meltdown when asked to take their shoes off to have a bath...

I have a sicky baby too. He's wrecked our carpet!

Having a lovely day today. Do you think it'll last up until bedtime??

snuggly thankfully we don't have carpets as he throws up on the floor several times a day. I opened the door to the postman the other day and he projectile vomited over my shoulder and splattered the wall behind me. The postman was alarmed.

Yeah I have been told by many people to treasure every second of this time blah blah but last night I asked my dad if having a baby and toddler was the best time of his life and he said "God no, it was shit".

Mine's broke. He has tantrumed today like he has never tantrumed before. Think he's feeling poorly but screaming will not help his poorly throat

sleepingstandingup, I have done the "oh, she's poorly, oh, she is tired, oh, she is hungry", until one day I realised she just now has the capacity to be a total and utter shitbag, even when well fed, watered and rested. Yeah!