Toddler has gained serious attitude!

[Somuchtoask]

I have a boy 18 months old and I’m recently single. Recently over the last month his behaviour has got a lot worse! He’s throwing tantrums if he doesn’t get what he wants exactly when he wants it, every time he needs his nappy changed he scream the house down so bad (which apparently he doesn’t do with anyone else even the childminder) and he won’t eat dinner in his high chair at all he wants to run about the living room with it. I know these things aren’t major but it makes me feel horrible each day because he spends so much of the time screaming at me and I feel like the horrible parent because at his dads there are no rules he gets to do what he wants. Is there anyway I can try and get this behaviour out of him? He still can’t speak so I don’t know if some of his frustration is coming from that

It is just a phase. As long as you model the correct behaviour he will get there.

It sounds as though he is having the 'terrible twos' early. Honestly, this will pass.

He just makes every day so hard it feels as if he hates being with me compared to every one else because with everyone else he’s a happy baby and minimum tantrums where as with me he spends about half of his day screaming at me for something

Solidarity, OP. We have an almost 17-month old who does the same. It's definitely developmental and very hard! He's also screaming at you in particular because you're his safe place. He feels secure expressing himself and testing boundaries with you. Our DD is great at nursery - she has her moments but in general she'll eat whatever they put in front of her, and she won't kick up a fuss when it's nappy time. At home, nope!

I think all we can do is stay calm and ride it out with them. I try to pick my battles with DD for everyone's sanity, but if she's tantruming over something she wants and really shouldn't have, I try not to cave into her. At the moment she seems incredibly frustrated over communication. She often wants something and can't say or isn't sure what, or doesn't want something, and that's what leads to the tantrum.

When DD's tantrums are really bad/frequent, I try to remember that she can't help it, and she's having an awful time. It doesn't always work to make me feel less exhausted or stressed by it (I'm no saint), but it does seem to make a difference to the way I react most of the time.

Can you have a word with his Dad about routine at his house?