June 2013: Here come the terrible twos!

[HungryHorace]

New thread. :-)

I would point anyone who queries why a just turned two year old isn't toilet trained in the direction of numerous material which states that the later it's done the quicker they get it, the fewer accidents they have and the happier they are with the process.

I should add that Pollys random wee was not the result of any training and was absolutely a one off!

I don't understand the hurry for toilet training. Nappies aren't my favourite part of the day but I trust that when ds is ready then it will relatively painless to make the transition.

He nows tells me when he's done a poo, though sometimes confuses farts with poos so there are some many false alarms.

His speech isn't as advanced as some (mostly 1 or 2 word statements/questions still) but since he was a bit later to say anything we're not worried at all. He chatters all day long (at home, quieter at nursery) but we only understand a little bit of it.

I'd be less anxious about toilet training if nappies weren't one of DDs problem areas - frequent kicking when trying to change nappy, pulling it off herself etc etc. Mind you it would probably just be substituting one problem for another...

She is a real pita sometimes - currently keeps pulling DSs blanket off and jumping on him - he's sick, lying on sofa and just wants to be left alone. Alternating that with hitting the TV - currenly had 3 time outs for that already this morning.

Mrs, that sounds exactly the same as us with the talking

Aloha, she seems very... Spirited??

How is she dealing with the idea of a baby?

I have no useful advice as my way to deal with Polly when she's like this is to get increasingly annoyed and wound up with her until we are both in tears.

Yes bean I think she is what you would officially call "a strong willed child". I don't think she's got a clue about the impending baby to be honest. I've not tried to explain it to her as it's so far away, closer to the time I'll try to reinforce it a bit more.

Yeah any tips would be appreciated! Ds was nothing like this. I've only just started doing time outs with her, which currenly means spending lots of time in time out (which she thinks is hilarious to see how far she can move from the spot) or putting her in her cot when I can't be there to keep putting her back on teh stool. She loves testing at the moment - we've had at least 3 time outs and 3 cot sessions today due to hitting the TV.

Pinky, if anyone goes to the loo, DD also comments that they're going to do a wee wee and stinky poo

Thanks bean. That book is on my kindle. I just need to read it now. I know she's ready, but she has been for a while so I hope she hasn't passed 'the window'! I've been waiting till I'm a bit more settled and I feel ready now.

Nappies don't bother me at all. In fact I think they might actually be easier to deal with so I'm not in any hurry really!

I'm glad I'm not the only one like that, bean.

How can these small children be so stubborn, push us to the brink of sanity, have us in tears one minute and yet they are still mostly the best thing ever. It's totally nonsensical.

I don't shout a lot I feel I do some days so I find, luckily I am sure, if my voice hits a point with dd she stops what she is doing. And she gets told to sit down and think. She'll eventually put forward a sorry and a hug and we have a chat about whatever it is she isn't supposed to do. My mum says I have a tone, one that is reserved for 'you have pushed every single button possible, push any more and all hell will break loose' apparently, it's effective! Maybe finely tuned from years of working with small children and teenagers when voice was the only way I could control behaviour issues. Dunno. But I'll take the fact it works.

Dd is currently going around the front room yelling 'lid' she has put her yoghurt lid somewhere and wants to put it in the bin. But we can't see it. I fear for the cats backside when she moves

Have I raved about the book 'Toddler Calm' here? I read it a few months ago. It has some helpful tips and (for me) acted as a useful reminder as to what a toddler's little world must be like a lot of the time (=frustrating and uncontrollable). It helps me to be more understanding of some of his strops. Usually.

At the moment a stern & slow 1-2-3 stops him doing most things that he shouldn't (like standing up on his little table) but aren't immediately dangerous enough for him just to be scooped up.

He was a hilarious car passenger today: "Hello wellies" x many and then later on "poo...fix it"

TMI: We've just had the most impressive potty poo. First use of the potty.

I'm hoping now she's broken her duck re using it she'll be more willing to use it for both wee wees and stinky poos (!) from now on!

We've gone away in the caravan again for one last hurrah before we give it back to the ILs. Our famous last words before we left was 'I'm sure we've forgotten something but its only for one night how bad can it be?'.

Twas the child's feckin blankie we forgot and she has dissolved in tears and refuses to go to sleep anywhere but in our bed. So its 9pm on friday night and we're in bed with about 1000 geordies just outside drinking and listening to Mambo Number 5.

Sounds blissful, Sunny.

Oh dear Sunny! Glad none of mine have a single comforter to sleep with - apart from M's dummy, and Tesco sell those!

Mrs - M only puts 2 words together at most bar his amazing counting last weekend, which went bus, more bus, more more bus :o mostly those two words start with MY and end with book/chair/blocks/etc and are shrieked at his big brother who is usually tormenting him.

Yes, it's the school holidays...5 more weeks to go...

I've not even contemplated potty training and won't be for quite some time - will wait till Easter at least and see where we're at. No rush, if he does start preschool in September (we've just been offered a place) they will change nappies, unlike the one he'll go to when he's three. I'm really in two minds about preschool though - he gets funding from 2 so would get 15 hours free, but he's so little still and I'm completely torn. Might send him to a childminder instead, if my friend can get on the approved list for the funded hours. Then she could have him when I'm working and be a bit more flexible than the 3 hours a day preschool hours.

How come when the weather sucks this time of year it feels a million times worse than in the winter?! Is it just because we expect to be able to do stuff outdoors?

Sucky wet weather today in case you were unclear on that but in the two seconds it didn't rain we did manage to go out for a quick walk, lots of jumping in puddles and on the way home pulling funny faces while looking in the puddles. At one point I did think she was going head first in the puddle, but no, just wanted a closer look.

I have two nights away next week, I am sort of looking forward to it, but at the same time feeling a bit guilty dd won't be with me. My star of a mum is having her, and I know they'll have a blast. But it'll be the longest I haven't been with her. Knew the guilt feelings would kick in at some point, today was that point!

We've been away visiting my dad & stepmum this weekend. They live c4hrs drive away so we don't see as much of them as we'd like. But DS loved being at their house, exploring middle of nowhere Scotland and it was a good visit.

What was nicest of all was seeing them want to get to know ds more and take initiative to interact with him and show him new things. That might seem an odd thing to say but for whatever reason, the other grandparents seem to find that difficult - they play with him but only really when he and his toys are laid out in front of them.

Anyway, I hope you all had good weekends. Pink - enjoy your time away from DD. No doubt it will be a bit odd but just think - an uninterrupted night's sleep!!! There are plenty of things in parenting to feel guilty about if we so choose, but I bet your DD has a whale of a time - and will be totally thrilled to see you when you get back

It's special times isn't it Mrs - seeing our parents playing and interacting with our children. I have certainly seen a different side to my dad. Glad it was a good visit.

And thank you, I plan on making the most of the sleeping opportunities!

We (DD and I) only popped into town today as the weather was grim. DH and DS stayed at home as DS was knackered after his party yesterday followed by a crap night's sleep: he slept for 5 hours out of 13.5 from wake up to bedtime today. Sleepy boy!

Molars can FRO here though. DD is getting her last 4 molars while DS is getting his first 4. It's fun, fun, fun all the way!

We've dismantled her cotbed today so she just has her single bed and we've a second bed guard coming so we can move it away from the wall / window too. Tomorrow is new blind / curtains day. :-)

If anyone has come across a nice owl rug, please point me in the right direction.

Ooh...I've a job interview this week which would mean almost doubling my pay on qualification! Wish me luck, people. :-)

Good luck, Hungry Fingers crossed for you - that would be amazing!

Good luck:) when I was a trainee I got 20k and 30k when I qualified. This may not seem much but was 11 years ago! That extra money felt amazing!!

I'm not on much more now than you got as a trainee, Bean.

They can pay NMW now too, if they want, though that only came in after I'd started my TC.

I was in central London though. My LPC friends in city firms were qualifying onto 70k and now get 250k plus. I don't. But I do have a life!

True. Languishing in the north west limits earnings potential somewhat.

FWIW, I couldn't be arsed to do the hours required for a 6 figure salary! Or even a very high 5 figure salary. :-)

How do parents with more than one child every leave the house? I have one day on my own with both. We thought we'd go to john Lewis to get some boots. Juno in the carrier. Polly in the pram. As soon as released from pram she ran around like an absolute menace which was fine when I could follow but when I needed to feed the little one it was chaos. It's either tie her down in the pram and ignore the wails or watch her speed into the distance. Just about ok in an enclosed park but she gets herself into difficulty climbing on things. It makes me never want to go out. I'm hoping it gets better as Polly gets older???

Sticks fingers in ears and shouts la la la la very loudly