Does anyone want to talk toddlers with me?

[Sighing000]

I'm really missing random toddler talk. No one in my family or friends has young children right now, and with there being no baby clubs at the minute I'm seriously lacking mum friends. I really miss the little things you learn from other parents.

Please come talk about your worries, brags, tips or random tidbits?

I'll start, DD is 17 months. I'm worried about her speech, we're discussing it with the health visitor. But she recently said Dada! Amazing to hear.
She loooooves to dance, the girls got serious rhythm already.
Also we've decided to ditch the high chair and use a mini table and chair instead. It's be one day but I'm loving it.

Ah, it's so lovely when they make new progress. Hopefully her speech will come on now that she has started.

My DD is almost 2, and we are trying to get her using a balance bike. She's lacking confidence I think, but hopefully if she practices more regularly it will help. It's totally back breaking to bend down and help her the whole time! She'll be getting a scooter for her birthday, so she may prefer that.

She's quite shy, and at toddler group she runs away when others come toward her.

Also she sometimes makes up silly little songs, like sicky socky, sicky socky when her socks are going on which cracks me up! But I feel sad that nobody else apart from DH gets to experience these things due to the current situation.

Aww the sock song sounds so sweet and funny!
I can imagine how back breaking it is helping her on the balance bike, I hope she gets the hang of it soon or prefers the scooter for your sake!

I have a vid of my Dd at 3 who just sang over and over and over, naked apart from her shoes, beauty and the beast; beauty and the beast beauty and the beast; beauty and the beast beauty and the beast; beauty and the beast beauty and the beast; beauty and the beast beauty and the beast; beauty and the beast beauty and the beast; beauty and the beast beauty and the beast; beauty and the beast until we thought she might be broken and gave her a bath at 11am on a Sunday!

My DD is 2 next week. She doesn’t stop talking and loves dancing. She has such a good memory and amazes me with what she remembers! She’s currently full of cold and cutting 3 molars 😩

DS is 2 in a couple of weeks.
Loves chatting inc to strangers in the street, telling everyone yesterday "I sing in pub" - he'd been for a swing in the park!
Also hugged another little boy on the slide oops for social distancing.

We're struggling with tantrums, he goes off on one when he wakes up from his nap, s3ems to be nothing we can do but wait it out.

Orlando, it's amazing what they are understanding and remembering at this stage, I'm enjoying it much more than I thought I would!

oh OP my DD2 is also 17months

Her speech isnt great either. We get mama, dada and no.

But she clearly understands everything and apparently thats whats important.

Im worrying about her tantrums, DD1 never threw tantrums but DD2, oh my we're in for trouble!

Mine barely said a word until he was two then at his two year check the health visitor was saying things like "AN ELEVEN WORD SENTENCE, WELL YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE IT IF YOU DIDN'T SEE IT".

I was just thinking "god please stop talking before you mention mummy's wine".

Mine (2.5) has recently started asking me to play with him which is so sweet. He mostly wants to make his toys kiss me.

I have 2 year old twins. They are so stroppy. They don’t stop asking for things even when I have said yes and given it to them.

Twin 1: Mamma, snack. Mamma, snack. Mamma, snack (continues through eating snack).
Twin 2 simultaneously: Mummmmm, Mummmmmm, Mummmmm. Dougie. Mummmmm, Mummmm, Mummmmmm, Dougie. (Continues through watching Dougie).

I know I will look back and laugh but my God it’s exhausting!!!

On the positive side they have started spontaneously saying ‘I love you’ to us and each other, which is super cute and they love pulling out our dining bench and setting up their toys as a ‘shop’ for us to buy things from.

Hi OP!

My DS is 19 months, he's my second and up until the last couple of weeks he wasn't saying much at all (very different to DS1). However he's recently started to say a good few new words, none clear but all in context, so that's lovely.

He's very into climbing! Tried to do all sorts eg climb on to the coffee table, then from there on to the window sill. He's an accident waiting to happen!

He's lovely and very loving but has the most epic tantrums!

My DS is now 19 months and only says meow to all animals, boobie, mmmmumm, yummmy and that's about it. He does try to imitate my words but it's not very clear. My DS also is into climbing on everything and is very, very active. The boy only sits down for his meals and naps and other than that he is running about everywhere and getting into all sorts of mischief. He was feeding me blueberries just after dinner, I cut them in half for him and he just loves feeding me. He goes through all my drawers and takes out my knickers, bras. My dad came round a few weeks ago and he found my Always pads and gave them to my dad 🤦‍♀️

My DS is 22 months old. He's not speaking beyond mum and dad but is making different sounds every day. He understands a lot, lot more and is very intelligent. I'm desperate for him to speak but trying not fret about it. He is very forthright but very loving.

Oooh what a fantastic thread, I'd like to join please!

My little girl will be 2 in November. I have no worries about her language (she never stops!!) but she really struggles with flexibility I guess you'd call it. She has only ever deigned to nap in her room with blackout blinds and white noise, but really needs a long nap still and is incredibly screamy if she doesn't get at least an hour and a half. This has always been an issue and made it hard to find baby groups even before lockdown that fitted around her nap schedule! I thought it would be ok because she would drop to one nap and then none and it would get easier to fit things in - then lockdown.

Now she has got so used to having constant attention (we've both been working from home since lockdown and obviously not seeing many other people) she has huge tantrums if we talk to someone other than her 🙄 e.g. ordering a coffee even! She also gets freaked out by other kids - like if one goes in the swing next to her - think this is probably a byproduct of lockdown as an only child.

I think she would love something like a childminder or nursery, she needs so much stimulation and wants to be learning 24/7. But I just can't see how it would work without huge amounts of distress at the moment, with the clinginess and the nap thing (how on earth would that work?!) - but then will she just get more and more confirmed in her habits the more she stays at home? But if I press the point about e.g. a childminder even if she hates it, will that just put her off even more when maybe in a bit she'll be more mature/ready? My brain runs in this loop pretty much all day every day and I still have no idea of the answer!

Anyway it's been good to vent so thank you for the opportunity 🙂 if anyone has any words of wisdom they'd be much appreciated of course!

Your dd Sounds lovely op.. I wouldn't worry about her speach she's still so young.. my dd is now 2.5 years old and her speach is really good but wasn't at your DDS age..

My dd is an absolute firecracker but so loving at the same time. Always up for cuddles loves making friends at the park and saying Hiya to everyone we see. She's can be pretty stroppy and strong willed .

But toddlers are just the cutest aren't they?

Hi, I am going through a horrible custody battle with my daughters mother and have a question to put out into the internet.
Would any of you parents take your 19 month old to the beach at midnight?
You see the mother has a drinking problem, police have been involved and there is a long list stacking up against her yet she still gets to hold the cards and dictate how and when I get to see my daughter. She thinks its ok to take our daughter to the beach at night and hang out with a random guy till past 12am. Am I wrong in thinking that she shouldn't be doing this?

Lovey stories, all your little ones sound lovely!
@Tiredforfive45 your twins do sound exhausting but I think that will definitely be something you look back and laugh at. Bless them.

Does anyone else really love random toddler outfits? Sometimes DD will end up going to the shop wearing a gruffalo onesie and a pair of bright yellow Wellington boots.. when it's dry as a bone out. always makes me laugh.

@SingleworriedDad I'd suggest you post in AIBU. You can create a poll and get clearer responses

Can I join?
Dc4 is 2 at the end of the year and is an adorable nightmare.
He climbs literally anything and has to stand on whatever he can find even if it hurts his little feet.

He throws, smacks and tantrums like you wouldn’t believe but his rendition of twinkle twinkle little star and coming up to me many times through the day saying ‘kiss mummy’ regularly makes me forget how much of a monster he is.

A bit of a gripe though, he still won’t self settle and won’t go through a whole night in his cot.
He screams if we put him in awake and just climbs out. When he wakes up in the night and realises where he is, he shouts until we bring him into bed with us.
I wouldn’t mind the bed sharing so much if he didn’t insist on using my face as a pillow

Oh and he prefers to practice his throwing skills with his food rather than eat it 🙄

Toddlers are great, and exhausting! It always seems weird to have this developing person who is always changing, and be responsible for them!

Hi @Jennyz123! I think your little girl may surprise you if you do put her in nursery. I read somewhere about how toddlers seem so much "worse" for us, simply because we're their safe place. So while when you're with her she may seem a bit of a clingy, demanding little monkey. When she's put in a childcare setting she may just shrug her shoulders and go off to play. Also I've heard nurseries are magicians with nap time, even if it seems impossible.

For example my little girl is left with her grandad while I do a couple of hours work, she's perfectly happy the whole time but the minute I walk in the door she starts to whinge and whine and be a bit naughty. It's just because she see's her main carer and knows it's safe to let out all these feelings because I'm the one who can handle the all for her.

Also if she does absolutely hate it, I'd say she's young enough to have forgotten all about it if you pull her out and try again at a later date. Good luck!

@Sighing000 thanks so much for your reply and I think you're right. Granny and Grandad look after her one day a week at our house while we both work and she is generally much better behaved. Like your little one she could quite happily play with them forever- unless she sees me walking out the door! She also has a paddy if I just go downstairs/upstairs/another room, which I am trying to steadfastly ignore...

I think I've partly been agonizing over it because I've been thinking of it as separation anxiety and I hate the idea that she doesn't know I'm coming back when I leave (although I know the only way to get through that is for her to repeatedly see me leave and return!). But I think at this point actually she knows I'm coming back- she is very switched on. I think it is just a tantrum like any other now - she knows I'll come back but she just doesn't want me to leave thanks! So she'll try screaming to make her displeasure known and hopefully it will have the bonus of getting me to stay. Think I've just got to treat it like any other tantrum and ignore until she decides to be sensible. (Easier said than done of course)...

We're currently in the process of moving and a date of end of Nov for completion was suggested yesterday 🤞 think we'll wait until she's settled in the new house and then get serious about a childminder/nursery in the new year, don't want to change all of her little world at the same time. In the meantime, some toddler groups are opening up again near us and I've signed us up for one on Monday - think she will hate it at first but hopefully settle into it. Operation GetThisChildSocialised is underway!

Thanks so much again for giving me a space to rant and for your perspective- I have missed talking to other mums going through the same things so much.

This is a lovely idea for a thread!

My DD is 2 and surprises me every day with what she can say and understand. She got a pack of Jaffa Cakes out the cupboard yesterday and asked for "chocolate" for breakfast.

She's recently discovered Frozen and will ask for "Elsa" all day (much to my pain). She has become attached to a cardboard box and will sit on top of it for ages. She loves to climb and I know she'd love soft play but I don't feel comfortable taking her to one now. I feel like she's missing out playing with children her own age because of the virus and missing important social interaction. We try to take her to the park, woods, farm and museums as often as we can so she's at least getting a change of scenery.

I love that she is starting to really get into accessories. She will wear lots of my old necklaces, a hat and her wellies with her pyjamas.

I'm pregnant with DC2 and I'm very worried about how DD will cope with it. I'm sure it will be just fine but DD has been the complete centre of our lives (very much wanted and waited for child after struggling ttc) so I hope she likes having a little brother or sister.

Love this thread idea.

I have an 18 month old who recently went through a word explosion and it is the most fun, hearing her trying to communicate and work out how to say things (eg the other day, we were singing a song but I wasn’t doing the actions which involved touching my face, and she said “Mummy... no ... face”) ie you’re not doing it right! I could see her really concentrating on getting herself understood!

She is generally a very happy child, though tantrums can come out of nowhere sometimes as is to be expected. It is getting a bit better now she can make herself understood more.

She’s a huge eater and has tonnes of energy but lucky for us sleeps well and even recently said “tired” when she was due to sleep which was brilliant.

She has started becoming a bit self conscious about doing poos - I don’t know if it’s is just developmental or an early sign of starting to be heading towards being ready for potty training - I don’t have any plans to start any time soon but am just keeping an eye in the run up to her turning 2.

Xx

Lovely thread! I have a 19 month old, he's so active and loves anything with wheels. He was only saying Dada until the week before he turned 18 months, then suddenly started talking and is now up to about 25 words, plus lots of almost words that I'm sure he uses consistently but I can't work out what they mean yet. He can also read the number two! I'd love to know if he can read others, but he can't say them yet so impossible to know.

Generally happy, sings and babbles all the time, loves a playground, hates teeth brushing and getting dressed. He loves a cuddle and will come and sit himself down on my lap if I'm sitting on the floor with him.

Re: nursery, he only went for a month before lockdown and was very shy when we started going out again - cried when people got too close, took ages to warm up with anyone not us. But it only took him a few days of nursery to settle in again, and now he loves it and grins when he sees we've arrived!

Great thread! DS is 18 months and doesn’t walk yet (he has a physio) but he’s so independent that he will find it so much easier when he can. Plus with the bad weather coming on it’ll be much easier going out when he doesn’t want to crawl on the ground!

He’s super sweet and funny, only says a couple of words and some animal noises. Generally points at everything and says what sounds like ‘gay’ but what I think is maybe there or they or something. Anyway it’s quite embarrassing in the supermarket.

I’m struggling with not being able to share him with my family and we all miss each other so much. I’m taking so many vids of him and sending them to my parents as he seems to just learn something new every day.

He’s in and out of nursery and isolation as he’s got no immune system so work and looking after him is tough going.

He has incredible tantrums which pass in a few moments but not after he’s flung everything around. Frustration I think.

Also usually wakes up screaming from his nap for an unknown reason.

We’ve also just moved him from his high chair to a small table and chair as that’s what he sits at at nursery, we thought it might help with him flinging his food around but alas no, he still likes to drop things on the floor!

Altogether I’m enjoying this phase, as much as it’s tiring and constant (he won’t watch tv!) I get so much more back from him and compared to the first 6 months which was a scream fest, he’s just funny now and nowhere near as hard as he was. Until the next phase of course!!

Hey!
My DS is 19 months and I LOVE this age. Oh the drama.
He loves saying words and pointing to things and he loves hair. So I’ll say “where is daddies hair” and he will say “gone” (DH is bald). Oh it makes me laugh so much!

@Jennyz123 If it makes you feel any better, DS will only sleep in his cot with us, blackout blinds, no noise etc (and I like it because I get a break!) and this it the thing I was most worried about him going to nursery as he’d be beside himself if he didn’t sleep.
On day 1 they said it was a struggle but they managed it and he had half an hour, and it’s just got better since then. He sleeps in a pushchair there and has up to an hour and a half (although most days about 45 mins which isn’t ideal but sees him through just fine)
You’ll find that they do adapt just fine.
It also took him two weeks not to scream when I handed him over because he really struggled with separation anxiety after only being with me and DH for 6 months, but again he settled and now he goes in smiling and get excited when we get to the door.