20 month old - normal?

[becca3210]

How are you finding your 20ish month old? Everything feels a battle at the moment. Husband and I are exhausted. I am a loving, pretty patient mum and try and do so many nice things with him but everything feels like such hard work atm - so much fussing. Needing to use tricks distractions to get him to do basic things like sit in high chair. Don't know if I am causing more of a problem by putting so much effort into keeping him happy.

Thankfully sleeps well so don't think is overtired. Can't wait for childcare to resume this week!

We're only at 17 months but as I type this we are trying to ignore the feral toddler who is playing on the floor in the hope that it will make her change her mind and agree to get in the high chair (other techniques have been tried but no success yet 😭). No idea what the answer is but I think it's normal..

Yes pretty normal. Lots of outside time helped mine - but not that appealing at this time of year! I would say it gets easier once they can talk well but by then they are too big to manoeuvre so you end up in negotiations instead. Although they get better at entertaining themselves so that's a plus.

19, nearly 20 mo. It’s hard work, I feel like a spend a lot (read: most) of my day distracting or redirecting. The results are variable. Sometime he’s really a compliant and sunny. Sometimes (thankfully, less often) if he’s got his mind fixed on something, it’ll be screams. I think they are sickeningly cute at this age though and the development is astounding, so all in all I’m enjoying this stage quite a lot, despite being exhausting 😂

Thanks all. Nice to have some solidarity. There are aspects I am enjoying like seeing him developing, learning new words etc. He had always hated the car (slightly better if iPad on but ends up fussing about what is on...) and I think that is really what is sending us over the edge as even if we try and go out as a family we end up feeling stressed before we even get there. Oh well tomorrow is a new day!

Definitely normal
Just have to be firm (difficult I know )

I find this time of year hard with young children as I think that the lack of normal routine throws them off

2.5 is the magic age when it suddenly gets easier. Hang in there!

(ignoring her worked btw - we just cracked on with dinner and eventually she got bored of playing with her mega blocks and came to join us 🎇 🍾)

20 month old here, exactly the same. Everything is a battle - she’s testing her boundaries currently

Going out helps. I take her to a toddler world near me once or twice a week, to the park, even if the weather isn’t that great I just wrap her up, old clothes, wellies and she has the best time!

Yes I agree getting out is a must! My son is going through a shy phase though so can be a bit awkward when people come up to us in the park and try and chat 😂 full of confidence with people he knows though.

My DS is only 16 months but seems to have turned into a toddler overnight!! I adore him and do find this stage easier than the younger baby stage because he’s so interactive and funny but yes I am shattered. He doesn’t have words yet (my DH is quite severely dyslexic and it runs in his family so I suspect language may be slightly delayed) and we have a lot of angry screaming and pointing!! He absolutely needs to leave the house twice a day, before and after his nap which I find tiring, I see people posting about having lazy days at home with toddlers and I don’t understand how!! He just wants to be outside, by 9am he’s usually sat by the door shouting and gets so excited when he sees his shoes! I think it will be easier come spring when it’s hopefully not so dark and dreary all the time! So yes, no advice really but solidarity here!

Thank you yes so looking forward to Spring. Think things will feel hopefully a bit easier.