Anyone else’s little ones started the terrible 2s very early?

[Rou5467]

My daughter has just turned 17 months but for the past few weeks has been having major tantrums / getting very very frustrated. I think this has coincided with her learning to walk more confidently and finding her independence as a lot of them it’s when I’m re-directing her away from traffic / slopes down hills / some other form of danger! She throws herself on the floor, screams head buts and hits me or the floor then cries more because she’s hurt herself.

I’m a quiet introvert who doesn’t like being the centre of attention so you can imagine it’s my idea of heaven haha..obviously I know it’s totally normal and something I have to deal with though but does anyone have any tips to diffuse it or do you just have to let it run it’s course. I know it’s frustration because she can’t communicate.

So far I try distraction but increasingly it doesn’t work as she gets so upset so I just pick her up over my shoulder kicking and screaming or if we’re inside kind of let her go for it but sit next to her and keep offering cuddles until she’s calmed down. She seems very young for this? Too young really to understand or help her process her feelings etc so guessing you just have to let them go for it?

If distractions is sometimes working then it’s not the terrible twos yet.

Haha oh dear look forward to it getting worse

Yep she's just little and frustrated. It must be so annoying for them that they can't communicate with us! Distraction and cuddles are the only way. (Unlike one mum who told me they were starting to use the naughty step for their similar aged child... poor thing hadn't got any idea of the concept of being naughty!)

I've also found mine (19 months) gained so many more words after hitting 18 months, much more able to communicate, try to teach them basics like 'help', 'nearly, 'wait' - those have been a godsend! We just said them a lot (like a million times a day) and she picked up the context and then was able to say the words and use them correctly. She still bursts into tears when she wants something (usually me or something another child is holding!) But nothing a good hug doesn't fix.

I think this has coincided with her learning to walk more confidently and finding her independence as a lot of them it’s when I’m re-directing her away from traffic / slopes down hills / some other form of danger!

This is interesting. I wouldn't necessarily direct away from danger. I'd use it as a teaching tool.

(I'm secondary school chemistry teacher trained, and an introvert, go figure). I'm also a mum of four aged between 6-16.

Running down slopes is no problem to me. I'm an actual runner (for fun, for exercise) and know that running into downward slops is better than fearing them. Falling over running down a hill will cause no real, substantial harm. Why stop her?

Running into traffic - I can see the danger. My way of parenting is to redirect that rather than stop it. Run to the next car. Run to that lampost. I bet I can beat you to The white van! Give a specific aim so that the end point is the distraction, not the danger (ie the road)

I have an 18 month old, he is my second so I know that this stage is nothing until the 'threenager'' appears at 3! I think it marginally improves when they can communicate more. The screaming when they don't get their own way can be very hard to take. Agree that distraction can work but not always as yet as they don't fully understand why they can't have something or do something. Just go with it as best you can.

Our little one started being very independent and strong willed at 15mths, I was knackered from it! But I found a Montessori approach and some work on boundaries helped smooth the path. Threenager bit wasn't too bad as we'd put in the ground work.