Struggling with my 16 month old

[rona77]

She has the attention span of a gnat so keeping her entertained for any length of time is exhausting. She will shout really loudly if she can’t get what she wants immediately, shouts when she’s on the bus in her pram and wants to come out, shouts when she’s put back in her pram.

Is this a particularly tough age or is it just me?!

Also, how can I stop the shouting? I understand she’s probably trying to communicate and can’t, and must find that frustrating. Is there anything I can do or do I just need to ride it out?

It's completely normal (and hugely frustrating!) for toddlers to shout at everything, especially for seemingly no reason.

Honestly, you just need to ride it out. Particularly if she doesn't have good language skills (my son didn't until he was 2), just try to name her feelings - "you must feel so frustrated that you can't get out of the pram! In x amount of time when we're off of the bus, you can get out of the pram then."

My son, who is now 3, sometimes only communicates through whining. While it's irritating and wears me down after a while, I just name his feelings and tell him it's okay to feel sad/frustrated/angry, and that I'm here for him.

Ride it out!
It is a difficult phase but it is just that, a phase. It passes.
You're right though in that communication, or lack of, can cause them frustrations. My son was the same.
In situations like that on the bus when they're shouting I used to find simple distraction things like saying "oh look at that blue car" or "look at that ladies colourful coat" etc would just refocus him on something else and take away some of the frustrations in that moment. As does singing songs when they're being a bit shouty and difficult.
Don't worry though, it gets easier.