When will it get easier?

[Kittykat93]

Little boy who is almost 2. Like most two year olds he's gorgeous amazing and funny but really hard work.

Feel anxious about going out as he screams and has tantrums as he can't run off. Like tomorrow I have a couple of house viewings and I'm dreading having to take him with me as I just know he will be trying to 5o climb on all the furniture etc.

What I'm asking is when will this get easier? When will I be able to take him out to eat without him screaming and flinging food? When will I be able to do the shopping without having to feed him the whole way round as a bribe to not tantrum?

I'm struggling with this phase. I've already had a thread or two about it.

Urgh

No magic bullet. They are all different. I would never take a 2 year old house viewing

Also have a near two year old and I think this is a “manage expectations “ stage (yours).

Shopping - order online if they can’t abide the shops.
House viewings - rice cake/box of raisins and keep them in the pram.
Meals out - I’m a big fan of short meals out to teach appropriate behaviour, but keep it short and to places with almost no wait.

And so on.

I think it generally improves as they get better at expressing themselves verbally.

I’m wondering the same myself! My friends’ babies seem so good in comparison. Mine has just started playing up aged 16 months and it’s absolutely exhausting.

How longs a piece of string? I've got 4, 9,6,5 and 9 months, the 9 year old is easy, 6 year old getting easier now... 5 year old a nightmare... 9 month old still at lovely baby stage 🤣. I've got a house viewing tomorrow I'm not taking any of them. It will get easier of course, don't think anyone can advice when though, but know you are not alone!

Yeah unfortunately there is no one to have him for me tomorrow so I have to take him to the house viewing. Not always possible to get a babysitter at short notice!

Ah great you've got to love them. I tend to agree with errolThe dragon, the more they understand the more they are able to except. The biggest blow to parenting is the worry of getting cross or dare I say it "smacking a child in public" If you say to a child dont touch that stinging nettle, the consequencies are a stung child. the understanding here is that mum knows best. That said, it is not in the childs interest to view houses, but if you take him to the park, beforehand, then talk to him while viewing the house, it could just work. offer something nice if he behaves, but dont count your chickens.

There’s always something that’s going to be hard, but I’d say those things get easier closer to 4. Eldest is 6 and I’d say the past 2 years have been much easier with going out to a restaurant (she’ll sit and have a conversation and wait for her food) or to the store (she can help). Other things like getting her to do homework or put her damn shoes on so we can actually get anywhere, still a nightmare! But doing day to day things is easier closer to 4, depending on the child obviously!