Toddler morning meltdowns

[AlexisP90]

DS 2.5 next month. Sleeps well, eats well, has a few tantrums but otherwise a sweetheart.
Early walker, talks as a normal 2 year old and all fine at his 2 year check up.

The problem : he has absolute meltdowns about everything in the morning. Cries like he's just been hit on the head. Absolute screaming about everything. Getting dressed is the worst - doesn't want to wear the blue, white, green one. I let him choose his clothes but even then he won't. I'm then having to battle against it to get him ready

I have to walk him to nursery 4 days a week which is a 20 minute walk up a hill so we have little time I'm the morning. Yesterday was awful. He was crying his eyes out getting ready all the way there and when I left him. It's meaning I'm constantly late for work and missing meetings in the morning.
My work are super cool about it but I can't carry on keep doing this.

I know this is probably usual toddler behaviour(?) But if so I need some tips please!

I've asked him if he likes nursery and he says yes (although he is very shy and they say he doesn't talk loads and only plays with a select few of the children)

Put his clothes on the tumble drier / on the radiator / heat them with a iron so they are nice and toasty when he puts them on and has to get dressed quickly before they get cold. Breakfast made the night before that can be picked at on the way to school - sticks of toast, chunks of fruit a yogurt drink etc

Eating will distract him on the journey and get you out the door quicker.

Do you let him choose between 2 pre-selected outfits so that he feels like he has a choice but it's not overwhelming?

Have you tried taking him to Nursery on a scooter?

If you think mornings are a particular problem, are they waking up naturally in the morning or do you have to wake them?

is he hungry? Mine were/are horrors in the morning and it’s because of hunger.

To be fair I'm pretty grumpy until second breakfast too

Yes I pick 3 tops and ask him to choose. He just starts crying for no reason saying not good one.

I let him go in his draws himself to choose- he cries.

He mostly wakes naturally. He's a 7am on the dot boy always has been. Few times I've had to wake him and those days were unbearable but mostly he wakes himself.

I thought hunger was the issue but even after eating he's the same.

Its just exhausting. Hopefully it's jsut a phase

I would say it's too busy over too short a period of time. He may need to be up fed, chill, then get dressed in a warm room with warm clothes, gentle music, slower pace.

I found when I slowed down, my stress reduced and it helped my toddlers be in a better form.

I agree with this. Maybe try putting him to bed 20 minutes earlier, do it by putting him to bed 10 minutes earlier for a few nights and then another 10 minutes earlier. When he's used to that start waking him 10 minutes earlier so that you have a few more minutes in the morning.

Sounds like a normal 2.5 year old - it's bloody relentless!!!!

I find that mine used to react badly to waking up and going straight into action mode: nappy change, get changed, brush teeth and would rebel. Instead, a quick 5 min cuddle and play and then making those tasks fun and letting him brush his own teeth actually made the morning go more quickly.

I'd also play pretend all morning to make him laugh - I'd be a dinosaur getting him dressed and pretending to eat his legs when they went in the trousers etc. Sounds bonkers but it's effective!

But yeah it's a tricky phase which lasts a few months I'm afraid

I'd also play pretend all morning to make him laugh - I'd be a dinosaur getting him dressed and pretending to eat his legs when they went in the trousers etc. Sounds bonkers but it's effective!

I did similar. When I was cleaning their teeth I'd make random animal noises and pretend it was a particular tooth then go back over those teeth to see if it happened again.