Toddler constantly pushing/taking toys from baby.

[Sparrowlegs248]

Baby is 1, toddler 2.5. Toddler doesn't do it violently but constant persistent pushes, baby gets a toy, toddler rushes across and takes it. Baby stands holding onto something, toddler pushes/leans /takes babys hands away.

I'm not sure how to deal with this. I say don't push baby, he can't stand on his own, leave his hands he needs to hold on etc. Yesterday I turned the favourite dvd off because toddler wouldn't listen. Cue complete meltdown. Not sure how effective that was. I'm not one for shouting but I honestly don't know how to make a difference here.

Baby has new toys so it's not all because of nor wanting to share though obviously baby does access toddlers toys.

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Yep, same here. Baby is 10 months and toddler is 2.5. Toddler does exactly the same as yours, even if the baby is playing with something which ordinarily the toddler would find very boring (like a rattle). I just try to separate them and distract, it's generally easier to let the toddler have the rattle for a few minutes until he realises how boring it is while I give the baby something else, but I appreciate that this isn't teaching him about sharing!

I found making the toddler return the toy, but then look for a suitable swap if baby wanted worked sometimes. So toddler takes a fancy to one rattle - that's baby's, let's find a swap - get another rattle to give to baby so toddler gets rattle.

I got toddler to find a toy to swap with baby. Also the pushing/ rough play I turned into a tickle game. So we can tickle baby's feet or tummy or gently stroke hair (big praise lots of attention). Toddler just needs to learn how to play. Try to think of games toddler can play with baby. Build a tower, pull funny faces to make baby giggle.
Redirect the attention. It's hard work and takes a while to sink in.
Good luck.

I’ve got the same age and they are a bit like this. If baby has got something, toddler wants it! She doest push or hit or anything just wants all his toys and then wails if he touches her in the wrong way!

Like with everything I find it easier not to pick fights with the toddler but if she’s being a bit OTT then I threaten with the naughty step / go to naughty step.

She does a lot of role play with her teddies so we talk about being kind, sharing etc.

Also try and get things they can play together, they’ve just started to play ‘hide and seek’ in the curtains, so cute! I’m hoping it’s the start of good things to come!

Thanks all. It's the pushing that bothers me as although it's not a shove, it's like a whole body lean until baby falls over. That and the moving of the baby's hands while holding onto something . Toddler just takes no notice. We do do turn taking which is fine but obviously not something I can be doing all day. Baby hates the play pen and is good on his own to just crawl about, and play while I get a few things done.

Baby had quite a dramatic (although not at all painful) fall today. It looked much worse than it was and toddler was distraught so hopefully that will help!

Can't remember if I started it quite this early (may have waited until the baby was walking) but we have a share it or loose it rule. I've only removed a toy once (so far).

When the baby was very little I'd supervise fair swaps of toys but also get baby to swap toys with the toddler.

Similar gap but 3 and 4 now.

Ahh I went through this and it drove me mental. It was constant. I ended up being really strict about super nanny style time outs for a little while. I’m not sure I really agree with time outs but it was that or me losing my mind and shouting all the time which I hated more. It worked and within a week things were much better. Obviously snatching and general sibling disdain still happens but it’s not constant anymore.

It’s a tough time for toddlers, I found it really ranked up when DC2 crawled. Before that he largely ignored her.