"Boy mums" I need your ear!

[Mamabear04]

DS is just about to turn 2 years old and OMG he is an actual bulldozer! All he wants to do is jump off things (the sofa, the bed, the stairs) without thinking and wrestle with his 4 year old sister. I feel like I am loosing control and he is constantly bumping himself. Am I missing something? I try to get him outside whenever I can to burn off energy but it always just ends in him trying to keep going at 100mph but he just gets tired and so more accidents. He just won't sit still anymore, it's like he's feral overnight!!! Is this what all these memes about boy mums are about?

I try to get him outside whenever I can to burn off energy

How often is this? My ds is a teenager now but was exactly the same. I took him to the park every single day whatever the weather to burn off energy. I found it exhausting but necessary

It depends but if we're not at toddler groups maybe like 1h in the morning and then in the afternoons it's quieter as DD is at nursery so he usually wants to stay in and play 1 on 1 with toys. Maybe it needs to be more. If I take him out to the garden I get him to play races and get him to run up and down the garden or get him to jump on the trampoline. If we are inside despite having run around he will still climb all over DD and start wrestling with her or if I dare sit down for 5 minutes he climbs on me and will start jumping. Is this normal that he all of a sudden can't sit still?

Yes he sounds normal to me...my ds was exactly the same! Couldn't physically be still...😂hes a teenager now and pretty lazy! I used to take him to soft play a lot!

Soft play is a good shout! I think I find it really hard because he is still young he is so prone to bumps so cant leave him to get on with it at the park, soft play etc. Its exhausting!. He is a big lad and DD sometimes forgets that he is only a toddler and it just escalates and I struggle to get them both to calm down...

My almost 2 year old girl is just like this too 😅

But we basically stay outside all day and evening apart from lunch and nap.

Sounds like you have a standard issue 4 year old boy. Treat him like a Labrador - more exercise, more food and more cuddles than you think. Swimming is good.

Sounds pretty normal. I had a small indoor trampoline with a handle bar which mine loved jumping on when the garden or park was too wet to contemplate. And a pilates ball for bouncing on, and cushions for punching and throwing

@crostini my DD was very active too as a toddler and actually I think she could outgo DS at the same age but it's the physical wrestling when he is so big and the jumping headfirst without thinking that is different. I find him so much more physically exhausting!

I have a 3 year old girl and a 2 year old boy. They are both like this. We live outside other than meals and bed. Otherwise one of them would probably knock a wall down or something.

He is not yet 2 years and can wear size 3-4 clothes 🫠

Girls are like this too! And not all boys are like it!

Toddlers have their own kind of crazy... sorry!

Yes my 2 year old girl is also like this! I’ve got two older ds’s and she is much worse in terms of climbing and diving off things 😳

I think it’s child dependent and in my experience the youngest is the most feral regardless of their sex!

He's not even 2 yet! God help me when we get to 4! 🤣

My ds is 2 next month and is exactly the same, I'm constantly exhausted lol

Imagine he's a labrador.

More time outside. If he's not too knackered to move he hasn't had enough exercise yet.

OK so ime boys are super energetic. You need to get them out at least daily if not twice (yes similar to a dog!) Regardless if it's rain or shine.
They often go a bit mental after eating ... that was when the wrestling started. Still does and they are now late teens ... sigh.
They also get cranky if not fed but don't recognise hunger pangs (that doesn't last !).
The great news is they are easy to entertain ! Mine were happy with sticks and mud half the time !

My DS was like this, I have been known to rock up at the park at 8am with 2 DC and 2 dogs in tow! It didn't matter what the weather was like...
We also did a lot of Mums & Todd's groups ...
(DH worked nights, so had to keep them happy & quiet for some of the morning
.)

But yeah it's normal! Wait until he climbs into the neighbours garden or try to escape from nursery.... 😁

My ds is nearly 3 and has been like this for a long time!

He is always jumping off things, running around & wrestling people. He has way too much energy and it drives me insane trying to keep up with him 🫣

Get him a bike.. When I was trying to teach ds 3 to ride ds2 picked it up and rode off! He was 2 and 2 months. He took it for miles.. Slept great!! Or a scooter if you think a bike it too ambitious..

My DS1 was a very very active toddler! He's a very easy teen (still active and sporty) so at least that stage has been easier for me.

It’s hard to tell if it is just normal small child behaviour or if there is more to it. At this age it doesn’t sound like there is much to be worried about. If the constantly bumping himself continues and you are noticing a significant difference between him and his peers consider DCD. Also look into sensory processing if you are in any way concerned about him crashing into things, having poor awareness of what his body is doing etc.

Literally the best parenting advice I got was this so I ran the hell out of my pair morning and night. It saved my spine, weight issue and sanity 🤣.

They grew into sensible functioning humans who do well in their athletics club.

If you need to stay in have an area to throw a load of cushions and let them go nuts.

Mum of 4 here (3 boys) I had a hard line on wrestling as it was easy to slip over into physical mean-ness. Any rough housing resulted in me stopping it, a sit on the bottom stair to have a think about being kind and a chat about how hands were for being kind and not pushing or pulling. But you have to be all over it for about a week to break the habit.

The jumping headfirst is more of a problem. If you can let them safely crash land a couple of times - so hurt themselves just a little, the natural consequences slow that down. If he headbuts you, try saying ow, maybe a performance cry and put him straight on the floor, stand up and say "I dont want to play with you now because you hurt me, your head is hard". It does take a while

Also agree with running them like they are high energy dogs. Chasing balls, skipping, hopping, and star jump challenges, mini trampolines while counting to 10 or doing abcs, SWIMMING, somersaults, painting the fence with water, sliding down the stairs on their tummy, digging in the garden, making mud pies......

Interesting, we always were told to let them wrestle as it helps children develop balance, coordination, strength and agility.

And provides opportunities for children to explore and understand their bodies' capabilities and limitations.

It with climbing was linked to the mathematical engineering skills in the brain.

My middle son was/is like this. He is 11 now and thankfully knows himself that he needs to get outside to burn off every and take take himself out to run around. It is exhausting when they are younger though.

I don’t think it’s a boy thing, I have three boys. My eldest has always been calm and would prefer to sit with a book.