https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 20 Apr 2026 22:34:22 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cranky-toddler#post-2885430 Thu, 23 May 2019 13:01:50 +0000 Petitduck 2885430@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Tionn3: yep, that’s crappy when they happen like that. He used to do that when he was younger and it’s more common after a nap for him to wake up crying. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cranky-toddler#post-2885424 Thu, 23 May 2019 12:42:57 +0000 Tionn3 2885424@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Petitduck: I feel like I could deal with the early wake ups if he didn't wake up yelling and crying. It is awful. It is literally one of the worst ways to start our day. I find myself waking up on the reg thinking " I just want the yelling to stop". </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cranky-toddler#post-2885423 Thu, 23 May 2019 12:41:21 +0000 Tionn3 2885423@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MaryM: We used to give him a paci and he would sleep an additioanl 30/60 minutes and he would wake up much happier. It stopped working about 2 months ago, and then he started sleeping till 6/6:30 when I moved his bedtime to 7:45am/ 8pm. However, this all started when he started to transition to 1 nap. I wish he enjoyed milk, but he doesn't :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cranky-toddler#post-2885420 Thu, 23 May 2019 12:26:25 +0000 Petitduck 2885420@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Tionn3: my second kid is nearly 2 and regularly: always wakes up between 5-5:30 for the day regardless of a 7:15 bedtime or falling asleep at 8. Takes a 1.5-2 hour nap usually. But he doesn’t wake up cranky, he just needs less sleep than others...it’s weird. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cranky-toddler#post-2885415 Thu, 23 May 2019 11:52:32 +0000 MaryM 2885415@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Rocker2014: I was going to say the same! </p> <p>I slipped DS a bottle of milk when he woke up way too early this morning and I still needed to get ready...he was in SUCH a mood, but went back to sleep after milk and was happier when I went to get him dressed 45 minutes later (at his usual wake up time) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cranky-toddler#post-2885414 Thu, 23 May 2019 11:45:27 +0000 Tionn3 2885414@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Rocker2014: It's so hard. Last night I tried to get him into bed by 7pm but it was more like 7:20pm. He had a 1 hour nap at daycare, but fell asleep in the car on the way home for 30 minutes. He of course woke up at 5:30am this morning. It seems like it is creeping earlier and earlier and my DH doesn't believe me when I say an earlier bedtime should solve this problem. We're both struggling. At least the eating has been better the last couple of days. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cranky-toddler#post-2885355 Wed, 22 May 2019 16:15:57 +0000 Rocker2014 2885355@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hugs to you, this is so hard!</p> <p>My LO (now 4) has always been very prone to waking up super grumpy and difficult. More sleep, less sleep, nothing helped much. We finally figured out around age 2.5 that she woke up STARVING every day, and was "hangry" in the morning. We started going to get her as soon as she woke up with a sippy of milk (her favorite thing ever) and if I could get her to drink it the rest of the morning would be so much smoother! She's never been much into eating, so starting off with something in her stomach really helped the rest of the day. I wish we had figured this out so much sooner, so I figured I'd mention it in case that's playing a role for your LO. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cranky-toddler#post-2885317 Wed, 22 May 2019 11:57:38 +0000 KT326 2885317@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Tionn3: my youngest went to bed at 6:30 until he was almost 2. It was so hard, we didn't get home from daycare until 5:30-5:45 and then to squeeze in dinner and a bath (only if needed). I felt like I never got to see him. But he was a much happier kid when he got the sleep he needed. Hang in there! Baby/toddler sleep is so hard. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cranky-toddler#post-2885307 Wed, 22 May 2019 11:04:07 +0000 Tionn3 2885307@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JJ2626: It's really hard to get him into bed by 6:30pm, so I've been aiming for 7:00pm. Last night he went down at 7:15pm. Tonight I'm going to make a better effort to get him down at 7:00pm. He seemed to be in a better mood yesterday and this morning. He probably does just need an earlier bedtime, at least temporarily. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cranky-toddler#post-2885204 Tue, 21 May 2019 17:49:32 +0000 JJ2626 2885204@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I’d try bedtime at 6:30 or even 6. Earlier bedtimes don’t mean babies wake earlier, in fact, usually they will wake later. Either way, it can’t hurt to try if he’s doing a 5:30 wakeup. We put LO down at like 5:30 for bed when she was transitioning to one nap and it helped, and we only needed to do it for a week or so. Good luck! I’m sure it’s a phase! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cranky-toddler#post-2885199 Tue, 21 May 2019 16:18:26 +0000 tysonja 2885199@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>kids are so confusing sometimes! especially when they can't communicate thoroughly yet. </p> <p>as others have said, it sounds like if he were able to get more rest (easier said than done, i know!) it might help things. sleep rhythms can be hard to transition, so maybe just try and power through and stick with an earlier bedtime and see if it will stick after awhile? it might take a few weeks of ups and downs to get there. i know every child has different sleep needs, so take it with a grain of salt, but i know for my particular kids (i have 3) they really need their sleep to function. my 5 and 7 year olds need about 11hrs a night, and my 3 year old needs 11 hrs a night plus a 2-3 hr nap during the day. she is definitely on the high sleep end of things, the boys didn't need that much at this age. </p> <p>all to say, you know your son the best, hopefully these stages will pass soon and it'll be a distant memory :). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cranky-toddler#post-2885192 Tue, 21 May 2019 15:18:04 +0000 Tionn3 2885192@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LadyDi: My son is a charmer out in public. People are shocked when I tell him how difficult he can be at home. I honestly think it is boredom that makes him upset a good portion of the time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cranky-toddler#post-2885191 Tue, 21 May 2019 15:16:32 +0000 Tionn3 2885191@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pachamama: For the last 2 nights I have been trying to put him down closer to 7pm, maybe it needs to be sooner, I just worry it will cause him to wake even earlier. I feel like his full night is 10.5/11 hours max. Daycare naps have definitely made things difficult. A typical nap there is only 1 - 1.5 hours long (It's 2 hours at home). So I've asked them to try and push the start closer to 12pm but they can never make it. He has outright refused 2nd naps at daycare, even when they were napping him at 10am. He definitely seems tired, and I can tell he is more unhappy less engaged when he is tired. The difference on days when he would sleep to 6:30am is HUGE. It's life changing, but he won't do it 90%of the time.</p> <p>I think at least the food refusal is related to the teeth.</p> <p>The clinginess I'm still like " what is going on here" Maybe it is separation anxiety. </p> <p>Taking him outside and playing in the dirt has been my go to method to calm him down. It seems to do the trick. Stroller rides calm him down too. It's just so hard. I just want him to be happy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cranky-toddler#post-2885187 Tue, 21 May 2019 15:04:05 +0000 LadyDi 2885187@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son is basically the exact same age and holy moly the past few days, but particularly today, have been rough. He's getting to be a pickier eater but yesterday didn't eat much. Last week he wasn't clingy at all but this week he is back to being very clingy with me. He'll follow me around and cry for me to pick him up but when I do that doesn't make him happy either and he'll cry to be put back down. He cries if strangers look at him. He cries if I leave the room. BUT if I am not around he's fine and 100% pleasant. He cried basically all day today except for the half hour that we spent at a play place at the mall, where he toddled around, ignored me and was 100% content and adorable. He's still sleeping well and he's been on one nap for awhile. Ugh. I am exhausted (I SAH).</p> <p>Anyway, I have no real advice, just wanted to vent and commiserate. My first son never acted like this so I am just crossing my fingers that it's normal and it ends soon because baby #3 is coming in 5 weeks and I don't know what I'll do if DS2 is still acting like this. Solidarity, sister! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cranky-toddler#post-2885185 Tue, 21 May 2019 15:02:47 +0000 Tionn3 2885185@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Dahlia: The preschool teacher said she noticed my son pulling on his ear, but I have seen him do that when other teeth come in and when he is tired. Every time I have taken him to the doctor his ears have always checked out fine. He definitely seems tired at the end of the day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cranky-toddler#post-2885177 Tue, 21 May 2019 14:44:16 +0000 pachamama 2885177@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son went through this at that age. Mornings just like you described. It was awful but it passed and my son was a total sweetie from like 16-36 months with a few blips in between.<br /> I would say it's probably not teeth, I think it might be exhaustion. Can you move bedtime earlier? And for the nap transition, maybe every 3rd day have him take 2 naps still? Is he getting outside a lot? That seems to make my guy overall a happier human.<br /> One thing I have learned after having 2 boys is 95% of the time their grumpiness is from being tired or hungry or sick. Your kid isn't turning into a jerk, don't worry 😄 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cranky-toddler#post-2885172 Tue, 21 May 2019 14:29:39 +0000 Dahlia 2885172@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sounds like teething plus exhaustion plus toddler to me. My only other thought would be an ear infection, but it seems like that would have gotten worse or resolved by now? </p> <p>DD is almost 4 now, but she definitely had a picky eating phase around then, was a wreck with certain teeth, and did not handle nap transitions well.</p> <p>ETA: Forgot the most important part - it does get better!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cranky-toddler#post-2885169 Tue, 21 May 2019 14:18:29 +0000 Tionn3 2885169@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 15.5 month old has been super cranky/clingy since the end of April and it is driving me crazy. He has always been high needs but he has been especially difficult this past month. It started with earlier wake ups. He was waking up at 6am / 6:30am for a month or two and now he's back to waking up at 5:30am. When he wakes up he is ANGRY. He yells, and cries for the first 20-30 minutes of the day. It is so difficult to wake up to a yelling, crying toddler. It puts everyone in a bad mood. He is also extremely clingy and has got a serious case of daddy obsession. If dad is around he cries and yells until he picks him up. Meal time has also turned into a nightmare. He refuses most of what we give him. We give him the option to play if he doesn't want to eat or has finished eating, but he will literally stand next to my husband and pull on his arm while yelling and crying until my husband finishes his dinner. My husband will offer to have my son sit in his lap while he finishes dinner but it's always "NOOOOOOOOO!"</p> <p>I can't really figure out why he is being like this. He is definitely getting 3 teeth at the moment, and it probably started right around the end of April. One of them looks like a molar. I always thought teething irritability was supposed to be mild. His level of crank/cling just seems really high for teething. He is currently on the 2-1 nap transition and it has been tough, but we're figuring it out. Nothing else has changed in the home. He has 30 words so far so he is able to communicate a fair amount of what he needs, although sometimes we can't really figure out what he wants. Is this normal toddler behavior? Is it a phase? Will it get better? I hope it gets better... </p>