This is me totally over-reacting... but my DS is driving me to absolute distraction...is there something properly wrong?

[fastasleep]

Theo is two, he hit all of his developmental target things relatively early (except for knowing his own name, he calls himself So-oh lol)

but his hyperactivity is driving me crazy... He can scale stairgates in seconds... this morning he tore into our room and broke a glass within 5 seconds. He knows what 'no' things are but gets excited and totally forgets, literally each day that DH gets home out house is trashed - soil from plant pots everywhere, juice openedand spilled for the fifteenth time, food smeared everywhere, there's always a plate broken from him tearing around the kitchen while I'm cooking...

I know this sounds totally pathetic compared to what most of the SN mums go through everyday (but ha he does bite kick and headbutt too!!)

how do you know when there is actually something wrong, rather than having a 'spirited child'? at my wits end, looking after him and his baby sister is just... Sigh!!

My daily soundtrack seems to be 'THEO!' repeated over and over... aaaaaaaaaaaaaargh

I could list so many more horrible things he does every day we're in the house but it would've got boring!

{THEO away from the bookcase!)

I'm at the point now where I'm thinking I'm going to have to take him out Every day

(THEO get off the heater!)

just to stop him destroying everything and driving me crazy

(Don't swing on the curtains!!)

I feel like an idiot posting this, am sure you'll laugh at me, sorry for intruding on your section..

In the last few minutes I've been watching him and he's still managed to pull his nappy off and smear poo all over, empty a packet of wipes on the floor and pull sakcs everywhere... I can't keep up with him, I'm normally hyper myself but this is too much!

Hi FA,

My DS is also good at scaling things. He was running off in B&Q the other day so I put him in the trolley. Next thing I knew he'd jumped out and was dinging the door bell testers like crazy. He is also very destructive at the moment, and I'm putting it down to age. He is 2.6 yrs.

Do you ever get a break?

BTW no one is laughing at you.

When DH gets home, actually no, recently when DH gets home it's somehow changed so I still look after him (I wonder whhhyyy) lol... at the weekends DH usually does a lot of looking after while I get on with other things thankfully :)

he bites and kicks and scratches and pushes too... I know this is all normal for a horrible 2 year old... but when is it too much iyswim? A lot of mums comment on how active and insane he is compared to their DS's of the same age... I guess it's just all getting to me! (which is pathetic I know this place is teeming with people with huge broods, I must be crap!)

Do you notice him getting more hyper after certain foods/drinks? My ds goes a bit loopy after orange squash or cheerios?
Does he calm down if he gets a good run around outside? Can you send him to nursery?
My ds was a bit stir crazy this weekend as it was crap weather and I had to make dh take out to the park as he was driving me mad.
But when he goes to nursery - I get him back knackered in the afternoons. Good as gold!

i think you've hit on something with your idea of taking him out everyday fa.someone on here( maybe cod!) said that boys are like dogs and need two hours exercise a day.
My boys are always better if they have been outside to leg it around.
Even if it's just taking him to the park or chucking him out in the garden for an hour.
Also, what's his diet like? Could it be worth looking there?

I don't feed him any sugar, because I found out pretty much as soon as I wenaed him that sugar turns him into a monster...I mean you think he's bad now...woho! Lol... He gets cake on a Friday when he sees his friend but apart from that very minimal sugar/added weird ingredients... I cook from scratch and he drinks water....

He's horrible! I guess he does need two hours exercise a day... well I've got something planned for every day this week, so I'll have to see if there's a change in his behaviour... I hope so cos I'll be too exhausted to run around after him (getting the bus is such a chore lol)

I agree with tracey about nursery. I send DS1 two days a week. He is a different boy there. Also, when I was worried about him they kept an eye on him and assessed him for me. There was nothing wrong. I think DS needed an outlet from home and me to be himself. I leave him there from 9-4.30/ 5.00. I know it sounds a long time but DS still doesn't want to come home at the end!!

I think you could do with talking to someone, i.e your H.V and going down that route. If you don't like the H.V. please try the doctor and explain how your DS is. He may be able to point you in the right direction. There is nothing worse than worrying, it's destructive.

I sympathise with you not getting a break. My PIL won't so much as offer to take DS to the park, but hey, thats another thread!!

Also agree with AM about the running around, even just letting DS run in the garden for 15 miins seems to get rid of the pent up energy.

Whatever you do, follow your instinct, no one knows your DS like you do!

fa can i ask what kind of things you have planned for him?

FA do you have room for a litle indoor trampet for the days you can't get out, or to use to music, he bounces you dance several times a day? i have had good success with this in a previous job and yes did find boy much calmer and more responsive when he had legged it around the playpark, i hoovered near the gate as he was unable to scale fence but could in a sec open the gate [very big open sided football field surrounded by roads].

We found after 2 sessions a day for 2 weeks we could miss the odd session a day a few times a week with very little behavoiur blips.

Hope he settles down soon.

FA - I feel for you - I really do - I have a 2yr old who sounds just like yours - a little, but adorable, monster.

I had a friend who's DS1 was like this until he was about 3 - then all of sudden calmed down and is now a delightful little boy.

Re the kitchen disasters - any chance of putting a stairgate across the kitchen door to 'contain' him in a different room?

We have a playroom now, with things that he can't break in it, but he just escapes lol...

I have planned this week -

trip to the museum to run around with his friend
trip on a ferry to a soft play centre
trip to a localish soft play centre
trip to a toddler group
trip to friends house to search and destroy precious items...

so if that doesn't engage, entertain and calm him I don't know what will!!

My friend has two lovely boys but she has to take them out every day or there's trouble!

Btw I find swimming is great for wearing out small boys.

try giving him fish oilds too ..this has had a proven affect on children on calming them down

I think I will try the fish oils... he had a huge tantum round the entire place, even though his friends were there

I'm not allowed to take him swimming if I take his sister too! Because it's one person to one child and DH has terrible exzema and can't go in!

Fastasleep, my ds can be a bit like this, although not every day thankfully (dd was like this too).

It doesn't have to be anything special, just kicking a football in the garden or park can help burn off the energy. If you have a garden it will be easier when Spring (finally) comes, they can explore & play to their hearts content. dd used to like playing in the garden in her wellies, waterproof and umbrella!

You may need to child-proof your house a bit more too.

But but we've already removed everything almost!!

We have to have some vaguely adult things somewhere damn those stairgates! Whyyy can he climb over them...