Toddlers suck

[shhhhs]

I feel like a horrible person writing this but my toddler is so relentless that it's making me enjoy parenting less and less. DS was the most chilled baby, I felt like I was living in a happy little dream world for the first 16 months, but my God has it got so hard now!! And I feel like I'm probably one of the lucky ones as he's a good sleeper and generally sweet kid but the constant whinging and trantrums are exhausting. Anyone else hate the toddler stage??

YES ITS BLOODY AWFUL.
Dont get me wrong I too dont have a "bad" toddler- generally sleeps through, eats well, doesnt run off, but it is exhausting having to be "on" all the time. Constantly running round, clearing something up and saying "nice hands" "come on stop crying" "mummy said no".....

No. I like the toddler stage. MUCH more interesting than babies.

Personally I liked the baby stage least - they can't talk to you or do things on their own. I think they get much more interesting as toddlers
Doesn't mean its not difficult though. At least you are getting sleep - THAT (sleep deprivation) is the most torturous thing, IMO.
We're all different. I've loved the teens stage, which others find...
ahem... challenging.
You just need to keep repeating the mantra "It's only a phase, It's only a phase". This too, will pass.

I had a newborn who screamed for 9 months solid and never slept so I personally love the toddler stage in comparison! We've been very fortunate to (so far) not have a toddler who's too tantrum prone or whingey for the most part (got it out of their system as a baby!)
I feel for you though, having an easy baby and difficult toddler must be harder in a lot of ways as things must seem to get worse rather than better. But remember- it WILL pass and they'll go into another new phase!

I had a hard constantly crying baby and now have a whiny tantruming toddler. He’s an absolute delight if he’s not whining or screaming. It’s relentless and exhausting fortunately he likes being pushed out in his buggy to spot tractors so we go for lots of walks

I have a 20 month old and it's exhausting. I can't wait for her to be able to talk so she can actually tell me why she's tantrumming or sulking. It must be really frustrating for her to want something but not be able to express it

Op - if you have an easy baby the toddler stage is an awful shock, especially if you have a tricky toddler! Happened to me with both DA’s! 14 months of bliss followed by 18 months of hell. Both lovely from 3.5 onwards though!

Yes son is 19 months. He's getting worse by the day!! Thank god he's a good sleeper at least!!

My nearly 9 year old ds1 is still going through the terrible 2s hoping the hard work pays off when I'm old and senile

My DH frequently reverts to toddler stage

Love all these replies so much, really made me smile and feel slightly less guilty for feeling as I do!

A lot of people say they enjoy the toddler stage but I find it extremely difficult (I have an 18 month old plus two older children). My toddler is fairly easy going as toddlers go at the moment but I find the relentlessness and the constant watching hard going, not to mention all the physical stuff required. I love my little dc very much but I am also looking forward to when they start pre-school and I am able to claim a bit of time back for me.

I don't know what happened in our house, but my DS was a wonderful baby, never threw serious tantrums and very few as well, and then he hit 5 years.... Oh....my....actual...word...! The attitude! The crying over nothing! The throwing stuff and slamming doors! I don't know if he's a delayed 2 year old or a premature teenager!! 🤣 🤣

I do think child rearing would be much easier if you went straight from babyhood to school age and skipped out the toddler stage!

Yes I'm in the same boat! Dd is 2.5 and my god is she hard work. And I didn't even get an easy baby stage with her! She's always been a live wire right from when I popped her out.
I do find you go through easier and harder stages, and right now we're going through an easier stage thank god! But last week I would have told you a completely different story!
I don't think you'd find anything to test your patience as much as a toddler!

I have not had biological offspring and adopted my son when he was 8. When I see mums with toddlers I honestly cannot imagine why any adult would want to raise babies.

My toddler of 20 months is exhausting. Up at 5am every morning. Hits, screams, stamps feet, cries over EVERYTHING! I mean I'm sorry I gave you the wrong spoon....wtaf, I mean really?! I have an older ds so I know they do get better but my god if I could skip this stage I would. Those of you who have good toddlers I hate you all! Only joking I'm just very jealous that mine is bordering on sending me to therapy 😕

Preach!!

DS turned 2 in July and it's like a literal switch went off in his little head. He was my funny, chilled and little happy boy and now he's horrendous. He's still cuddley and happy don't get me wrong, but he screams randomly, has fits when he can't get what he wants. And now he's rejecting his naps.

I feel you, I'm 12 weeks pregnant, sick and tired and I don't know how to deal with him. Trying to take the positives, his language has come on loads, plays beautifully now and understands how to play with me.

Just take the positives and don't react.

I way prefer the toddler stage to babies personally... but I think all children are difficult, ds2 is most definitely more challenging in a pull your hair out stressed to the max kind of way...

DD is 14 months.

Today she tantrummed because she didn’t want her nappy changed and threw dirt all over the changing mat (we were outside). She then got a pot of muddy water and threw it all over herself then went crazy when I tried to change her dress. The other day she took my sunglasses from me and threw them in the paddling pool giggling. She thinks it’s hilarious to pull my hair.

She was a very unhappy baby with colic and has always been very hard work until she could walk so nothing really phases me now. She basically cried/whined all day for 11 months so I feel like I’ve been toughened up as a parent. In a way I’m glad she wasn’t an easy baby!

Just take a deep breath, have lots of cups of tea. Laughing at the weird stuff they do definitely makes it easier! I know I’ve got a lot more to come - so just taking each day at a time.

I think a lot depends on what sort of kid they are. DD1 was a very chilled out baby - slept well, generally content, if she was fed and cuddled she was happy. She's a lot of fun as a toddler - but Jesus she's exhausting! I'm sort of enjoying her more now she can talk and we can do more together - but at least once a day I feel like trading her in when the tantrums kick off!! DD2 is only 11 weeks, but she's a different creature altogether. If she's awake, she's whinging. I'm currently trying to get her to go to sleep in the bouncy chair so I can get dressed - she will scream if I stop, and once she starts screaming will only stop once in the sling (really difficult to get yourself dressed with a sling on). I'm hoping she turns into an easygoing toddler - seems only fair, but time will tell!

I’m not sure which I prefer. I don’t think I took advantage of how easy the baby stage was, in hindsight . And DD is generally lovely at 2, listens to instructions etc, but I am fairly strict. Not sure.

A friend and I have made an agreement that if I’m lucky enough to have another baby, I’ll take her then toddler and she’ll take the baby and we’ll swap back once the baby can crawl/bum shuffle/walk.

Toddlers I find flipping hilarious!

Independent movement upwards is my favourite stage, but then again I do seem to produce whiny, immobile, frustrated babies....