What is it like having a toddler?

[PlanetTeaTime]

FTM and my baby is 7 months, she's super happy and a pretty relaxed person. The hardest parts have been breastfeeding and sleep. Things have gotten much easier lately though.

Just wondered what I was in for? I don't know much about kids but I keep having people tell me how difficult toddlers are

Hated it sorry- between walking and talking it’s just too physical and difficult. Like another poster said you can never relax, permanently on watching them and calming a tantrum. Spent my days trying to tire mine out, got a membership to soft play. 2-3 however was lovely

@user159

I found 12-18 months the hardest. DD walked around 15m then it was the constant following around trying to make sure she didn't harm herself that I found exhausting - we were mid pandemic and I was on furlough then so she wasn't in nursery at all so I appreciate circumstances played a role in my feelings.

She is now 2.7m abs 90% of the time I adore being in her company, playing, taking her out and just savouring every minute. She's so much fun and her personality is really shinning through, her speech is great which helps. Routine is good but more flexible now she's older.

10% of the time I spend rolling my eyes or whispering for f* sake under my breath when she has a meltdown that I didn't put enough milk in her cup or I sat in the wrong chair

Overall I am loving this age though and wish it would slow down a little!

Yes, this - our children are the same age and I agree completely. Except I wasn't on furlough, we were both wfh and it was hell. I find it amazing I can just leave him for a few minutes now and when I come back he's still where I left him!

Toddlers are exhausting but hilarious. There's so much more to a toddler than a baby - I look back at videos of mine when he was little and really, he's just a potato 😁 although at the time I obviously found him fascinating (and hard work). You get so much back once they start talking properly and telling you what they're thinking. You see the world through their eyes and get to help them understand it.

For me, this is the first time I've wanted time to show down with mine. I can see the little boy he's going to become and I want to keep the sweet cuddly toddler forever. But I also look forward to getting my own life back as he gets older!

Way easier / more fun than the baby stage, in my opinion! I have a 2.6 year old and a 1 year old. The 2.6 year old is a joy - so easy going, funny, well able to play independently, easy to bring out to restaurants etc.

There were a few bad phases between age 1 and 2 (lots of short-lived tantrums, sleep regressions etc), but since age 2 it’s been relatively easy. I hope his sister is as straightforward, but I fear not!

They’re all different. DS1 was much easier but he’s generally a sunny, roll with the punches kind of personality. DS2 was, um, more challenging and had more towering, raging tantrums that could easily run for 45+ minutes. It was not easy when he was thrashing on the floor in Tescos and people were having to steer round him. A lot of it was frustration. Once both had acquired a few words and could tell us what they wanted, it got easier. They were good fun at that age too, inquisitive and funny, but unstoppable forces of nature. I echo what a PP said about consistency and following through. It is vital.

Lovely, but utter dickheads. DS has just turned 3. This morning he spent about 20 minutes demanding a certain sock that I’m not even sure exists. And that was before I’d had my morning coffee. He’s over the worst of the tantrums now thankfully. I found 18 months - 2 the worst but I don’t know if that’s just because it coincided with me being pregnant. His speech has always been fantastic but he’s very focussed with his interests so trying to get him from one activity to the next, or convincing him to do anything that wasn’t his idea was a bloody nightmare.

They are amazing but can be exhausting. One of mine was so wilful and adventurous that I was exhausted. She’d climb up bookshelves, run in some random direction, be up a tree and 3 was worse than 2. They just don’t understand reason.

Exhausting, hilarious, and fascinatingly adorable.

My DD was 2 at the end of June. She is both hilarious and relentless in equal measure.

We are firmly in the midst of terrible 2's which can be draining, but we have found a firm and consistent approach works best. She fiercely independent and has to do everything for herself.

She amazes me every day with her vocabulary and how she says things in the right context.

Seeing her playing with daddy, and her big brother melts my heart 🥰

They are so so cute as toddlers but I found it soooo much harder tbh and I have 3 ds. Also re. 'training them kindly and sticking to a routine" a pp mentioned, that's what we did with all ours but they are all very different and so needed different approaches, I find advice like that is generally from a person with one child and I don't mean that in a bad way just dcs are all so different.
I loved 0-1 years old, I was definitley tired and sleep deprived but had good births, no issues with bf etc, I was back exercisig after a couple of weeks.. with my first ( very relevant as with my other babies I had a toddler to look after too!!) I watched endless series, my house was immaculate, chilled coffees out, we travelled a bit, when they are portable , I found it soo easy.
It hit me like a truck when they started moving, constantly on the go, climbing, bolting, lots of tantrumming with one of mine, before I spent time batch cooking, had loads of time and felt i was nailing it Then I couldnt sit down for 5 seconds, they climbed out of tavel cots, hated high chairs so I got a chair to pull into the table but all hated any kind of restraining, my clueless self had ideas of them playing in a playpen while i got things done....eh no..playpen was a disaster, all screamed in it , climbed out or tipped it over.
However they were amazing in playgrounds, beaches, hikes as endless energy! But the coffees /drinks/meals out came to an aprupt end as did my box sets and reading and to top it off they also went through really bad sleep phases....way more difficult to settle an older baby...
However they are older now, 3 under 10 and its still v v v busy but easy again. As a result I am fitter than ive ever been but found the baby stage an absolute doddle particularly just one. I was an absolute wreak from 1-3 years for each dc! They all have each other now and play together but at 37 we are done having dcs and although I could easily do the baby bit again another toddler nooooooo..

Exhausting. Hilarious. Brilliant. Exhausting. Maniacs.

😂

Probs depends on your child. DD1 was a delight until she was 2. 2-4 were very harddd work. She’s been fab ever since she turned 4 but is developing a bit of an attitude since starting school 😩 Hoping it’s tiredness!

DD2 is 18 months. Sunshine & showers. Either an utter delight or a complete horror. Not much inbetween 😂

I found about 10-18 months tricky as he didn’t walk until 15 months but was standing and wanting to be on his feet before this (aka constantly falling over).

When he got steady on his feet it was a lot easier. I can take him on walks to tire him out. He can tell me what he wants (even if it makes no sense). It’s a joy seeing him discover things and make connections. Sleep is better, eating is a bit more stressful. I can leave him for five minutes in a baby proofed room to hang the washing out. We haven’t tipped into full on ‘this banana is too yellow’ type tantrums yet though so I’m sure they’re to come.

I’m not sure I’d want another baby but I’d have another toddler.

Well this weekend he’s head butted me (by accident) so I’ve a cut lip, threw a full bottle (on purpose) which landed on the bridge of my nose, ouch!! He’s also slept 12hours every night which was a inconceivable dream 6months ago, spent the morning snuggling in bed watching a film and giving me kisses and spent the afternoon showing off his confidence in the water when we went swimming. As I like to say it’s swings and roundabouts 🤣

Depends which one you get. DD was a sweet mini child who showed you the pretty flowers and coloured. Think she's had 2 tantrums in her life.
DS is like living with a rowdy drunk. He doesn't know what the fuck he wants or how to say it. I get physically injured at least once a day and mainly carry him like a rugby ball. He's still damn cute though