DS has been SUCH a difficult child since he was about 14 months old. He's approaching 16 months and it's still not better. Sleep issues, tantrums, intentional defiance. He's driving me bananas! Please tell me it gets better?!? This can't be the start of the terrible twos/ threes is it??
You might also enjoy...
-
We're in the throes of it right now. I'm hoping that it gets better too. I think a lot of it is independence and early communication skills. He has a decent vocabulary, but can't fully communicate what he wants yet. Also, he communicates what he wants, but we won't give in. So, it's boundary testing as well. I hope in the next month or two his vocabulary gets clearer and can communicate better therefore minimize the tantrums.
-
Yes, we just went through it! At 18.5 months, it has gotten better but still shows this behaviour at least once a day. Which is better than ALL day. She has gotten better at showing us what she wants/needs. We also didn't give in to any of her whining or tantrums. Hang in there!
-
@Lindsay05: Good point about not giving in. Walking away during a tantrum is tough, but once you do, it sends the message that you're not listening. LO usually stops without an audience. Lately, he throws stuff down when he's mad. I make sure to tell him that I understand that he's upset. That helps too.
-
14-20 months was the hardest stage for us BY FAR! My LO is approaching 3 and is a delight...our biggest issues are not wanting to share on play dates! I keep waiting for things to get harder, but nothing has even come close the the tantrums, body flailing, hitting, food throwing and aggravation we went through at the stage you are in! It gets easier!
-
I'm no help at all, but I feel better that we're not the only ones going through this! M is 15 months and the whining is out of control. Her newest word is "up" and after weeks of crying and demanding "UP!' every minute of the day, I'm at the end of my rope. We're right in the middle of the dreaded 2 to 1 nap transition which is taking it's toll on both of us too
I hope that things get better for us both (and for you @cascademom: !)@Lindsay05: and @Sparkler: Thanks for giving me a little hope!
-
It was hard, mostly because the molars were breaking through which meant bad sleep. She just started to learn how to throw tantrums too, fun times. It's gotten better at 19 months, she's happier, plays better and sleeps better...but when she throws a tantrum? Look out.
I think at this age, they are figuring out that they can cry and scream about what they want/don't have because they can't form the words and sentences yet. Even when they can form the words, their emotions are all over the place. With my oldest, I found that good and bad spurts happened every few weeks by the time he turned 2, which prepared me (a little) for 3. Now at 4, he's mellowing a little. It seems like a long time, but once you figure them out (your own LO specifically since not all children are the same), it gets easier, I promise! I have come to realize that I have to go with the flow and change my attitude rather than stress about certain phases.
-
15 months now and she's been such a whiney child lately, like all day long whine! DH and I both were pulling our hair out this weekend because she wasn't able to express or show us what she wanted and would get frustrated and then we got frustrated. She's also teething so that is not helping the situation.
-
@Lindsay05: @Sparkler: @HLK208: Thank you for a glimmer of hope!!! I just miss my sweet boy. Good thing I couldn't see the future when we decided we were ready for another kid when DS was 10 months old. I'm currently pregnant (and wondering how we'll survive occasionally) but if we had waited until now I don't think you could convince me to have another until DS is 18
@cascademom: @MrsF: I hope it gets better for you guys soon too!
-
@LuLu Mom: I know exactly what you mean. It's so hard not knowing what they want!!
-
@Beyond2: I think this stretch is partly why we're waiting for #2. There's other reasons too like moving and weight loss, but man I'd love for this stage to be over with until trying for another.
I will say this stage is amusing too. LO loves to say "no" to everything. "Did you poop?" You can smell it. LO says "no, no, no." He's like a little walking pathological liar. Even he knows that it's not "no" but says it anyway. Also, all fruit is "apple." His best two syllable word at the moment. He's almost got "glasses" down too.
-
@cascademom: Haha my LO is an avid yes sayer! He answers yes to everything (but certainly doesn't mean it) and sometimes it's down right hilarious! I'll ask if he wants his diaper changed, he'll dramatically tell me yes and then run shrieking in the other direction once I grab the wipes while still saying yes to wanting a diaper change. He does do many adorable things but getting past the tantrums has been tough today!
He's just learning the word danger and it is so cute to hear him say it. I love watching the new skills unfold!
-
We are totally dealing with this now. There are days where it is just soooo tough and by 4pm I am so ready for DH to come home and deal with the whining for a bit.
-
@LuLu Mom: Miss A is almost fifteen months and some days the whining and clinging just about do my head in! I still think this is a cool age though and I just love watching her wee personality start to shine through
-
For us the hardest stage was more like 16-20 months (but close enough), and my daughter just turned 3 today. Even her entire 2's weren't that hard, and now that she's 3 she has been an absolute JOY to be around!
@Sparkler: took the words right out of my mouth.
-
My son is 15 months old and we're going through the same thing. It started around 14 months for us too. It's really hard. Some days I just have to go into the other room and take some deep breaths so I don't completely lose it.
The whining drives me completely crazy also. We've just been telling him to tell/show us what he needs instead of whining. We will get down to his level and try to work it out with him. As far as the tantrums go, basically we've just been using redirection. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't =\
-
That was the WORST time for us too. I don't even like thinking about it (shudder). Luckily now at 20 months she's back to being a little angel
-
YES.
I'm noticing that the difficulties come and go, like a tide. I remember months 11 - 16 being really, really hard. I think it's when she started to really get mobile. Then we had a good stretch from about 16 months - 20 months where it got a lot easier. She could communicate more and wasn't as frustrated, and was just so sweet again.
Now she's back to being so, so difficult. She's 22 months now, and this is the hardest it's ever been. She's super clingy and whiny - it starts from the minute she wakes up. Her tantrums are also quite epic, and the littlest things will set her off - like me putting in her straw this morning when *obviously* she wanted to do it herself.
Hang in there! This stage is just so hard
-
I think we are going through this too but since I am more a toddler person than a baby person I'm taking it a bit better than I took some of the infant stage things. (Thank goodness!) My daughter is VERY clingy and sometimes she grabs onto my legs so I can't even take two steps. Sleep is ok but a once a night wakeup (which has made its way to 1130!) where she insists on coming in our room. I actually do give in to the whining but only after I have her point at what she wants or I see that she's just overcome with frustration/fear. She has a lot of new fears. If it's just that she isn't getting her way, I don't usually give in though (unless I'm desperate!) Even though it means I've gotten some unwanted attention in public.
-
oh man I'm glad I'm not the only one. The tantrums and whining are insane right now at 16 months! Someone help me....lol!
-
WE had a difficult 13-16 months too - food throwing and night wakings (but some of the night wakings were related to ear infections I think). But for us it got WAY BETTER after 16-17 months (or 18?). It gets A LOT BETTER. I really enjoy 18mo - 2 years. but then it starts dipping again around 2 years.
-
I remember LO being extra whiny and prone to tantrums at around that age. One incident that sticks out in my mind was leaving the playground when she clearly wasn't ready, so she threw the most incredible tantrum and refused to sit in her stroller. I ended up carrying a flailing, screaming child down the sidewalk while pushing the stroller. My friend was walking alongside us pushing her angel toddler who was happily eating her snack. Hang in there, it gets better
I hope that things get better for us both (and for you @cascademom: !)
Reply
Subscribe to our newsletter
- Google Plus
- Stumbleupon
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Pinterest
- Favorite0
21 comments