So I’m curious, does anyone else feel like living with a toddler is like living with a tiny little person suffering from Bi-Polar?
Cos really, I don’t have a yardstick to measure how normal this is over here.
Does anyone else’s toddler go from laughing maniacally to screaming uncontrollably? Within 2 seconds? Over NOTHING?
Anyone else have a toddler who will hurt themselves in order to have a proper tantrum? Amy bites herself in order to then get ‘kisses better’. She only does it when she’s been naughty and gotten growled at though. She will also punch the floor, hit herself etc. I’m just wondering how normal that is? I know it’s attention seeking behaviour.
Please?
Really, she is not an easy child to parent. I feel like I’m hanging on by the skin of my teeth here, just dragging myself through the day, trying to make it to bedtime without too many tears, injuries, accidents, or tantrums.
I know damn well she gets so tired and needs to nap, but she will not nap. At all. Ever. So please, don’t suggest a nap. I know it would help, I know it would work, but it isn’t happening.
I’m just, really tired.
We are constantly saying that our toddler is bi-polar. She has the habit of flipping from the midst of a tantrum to hysterical laughter, giggles and ‘huggies’. I’m convinced she enjoys time outs, and almost any other punishment I dream up.
So, no Amy is nnot alone when it comes to toddlers screwing with their parents.
Jayna @Y ankee Drawls last blog post..Don’t Make Me Come In There!
it has been a long time since i’ve lived with a toddler. but i think that is pretty normal when it comes to certain personalities. i’m sorry i don’t have any genius ideas/advice. those pictures of your littles are gorgeous though!
Cris last blog post..things i didnt think meant anything until five seconds ago.
I’m so sorry u are feeling the strain and I believe every parent of a toddler has felt it to some degree. Compared to my sister’s ever-placid son, I thought my son chucked wobblies like no other… until I spent time with my friends daughter. Every toddler will push the boundaries as far as they can and all we can do it keep (endlessly, continuously, monotonously, mind-shatteringly repetitively)showing them where those boundaries are… and hope that they get it before we have completely lost our marbles!! 🙂
Michelles last blog post..Please take our prisoners…
Sadly yes, it is normal and the brighter the child the worse it seems to be. It will improve as her skills develop and she can do more (constructive) things for herself. In the meantime there’s always chocolate – for you not Amy lol!
Lovely pics, did you get the camera fixed?
Sharon – No, it’s Mum’s old point and shoot I am borrowing. I miss my camera desperately. I haven’t heard anything back about it yet either.
Amy sounds normal. Laughing hysterically, then suddenly screaming uncontrollably hapens because she is yet to fully master control of her emotions. Also there is a frustration level involved. Her brain is way ahead of her body. Things will improve with a little maturity. Sometimes it’s a gradual change, sometimes more sudden. Hang in there.
Amy–TAKE A NAP.
Hey V. I think it could also have to do with having a baby brother who takes up attention that used to be all hers…nothing you can do about that.
My oldest child was a handful…she was very very difficult. She still is…and she’s 23 🙂
What I used to do, even when she was under two was do a ‘time out’ sort of routine. She had to sit in her bedroom for 10 or 15 minutes even if for the first couple of times I had to guard the door and keep explaining that she could only come out when she calmed down.
When Amy hits herself or bites herself, as hard as it is I wouldn’t do the ‘kiss it better’ routine, even if she screams blue murder. I would say something like “well it is going to hurt if you bite yourself…’ in a calm way and leave it at that.
If it looks like she might really hurt herself I would wrap one arm around her and say, as calmly as you can manage, ‘No Amy…’ and then let go when she’s calmer.
This worked really well for me combined…my daughter did stop..it took awhile…hang in there girl…consistency is really key I think. If Amy learns she will get the same reaction every single time she will begin to understand that she isn’t going to get the reaction she’s looking for and she will stop…
Let me know how it goes eh?
Mim
all sounds normal to me.
hugs
Mistress Bs last blog post..The Coven.
Hugs babe. Bad and Amy seem cut from the same cloth. The other day he broke his dump truck and pulled it over to me. “My dump truck broken. Poor ‘Bad’.” he said (in a not very sad voice). I put the truck back together and he started trying to pull it apart again, screaming “NO! BROKEN!” Sometimes you do have to just walk away for a bit and just let them work it out.
I think it’s about personality and yes, some attention seeking in response to sharing you with the baby. My eldest never did anything remotely like this, she was a laughably easy toddler and I didn’t get what all the fuss was about, then my second-born hit 18 months old and oh my GOD what a wake up call she was. But here’s the good news – now, at 4, she is very easy and pleasant to be with as she has turned her strong-mindedness and intelligence to the service of good, not evil 😉
Seriously though, I agree on principle that the brighter and stronger-minded the child, the more challenging the toddler stage will be. My eldest is also bright but is quite shy, fragile and easily led, which are not traits that will serve her well later in life. Better the year or so of hell now (like I had with no. 2) then a lifetime of strong-willed self-management!
All of which is to say, yeah, normal. And frustratingly exhausting.
Look at those gorgeous children, nom nom nom… xox
As hard as it sounds, I would try NOT to “reward” her for her owies. Give her a chew toy and tell her when she is mad she can chew on that.
I know it’s hard. Woodjie used to head-bang, so I’m with you. Now he pinches his skin and twists it so he bruises. He doesn’t feel pain the way you or I might and is looking for “sensory input.” It isn’t when he’s upset, just a habit I guess. We’re working on it, but if I freak out about it, it won’t help, kwim?
Mrs. Cs last blog post..Homeschool Happenings
Aww hun, no advice here I’m afraid. Zack was horrendous for the first few months after he’d given up his naps, also coincided with Max being born, so I can understand where you’re coming from.
(((huge hugs))) You know, I think we would be awesome neighbours, don’t you? *sigh*
Marylins last blog post..Photohunt: Books
i know what ya mean re toddler..
Maddi has her days..
though she isnt hurting herself yet..
cute pics..
adorable
No nap–check.
Bipolarism–check.
I know these two have to be related but I also know there’s really not a damn thing I can do about it that I’m not doing already.
Hopefully in a few more months things will even out? I’m chanting “This, too, shall pass” a lot these days.
But the imagination is pretty freakin’ awesome, I have to say.
Hope you can catch a break every now and then!
I don’t think there’s any advice I can give you because I think you’re probably doing all you can and pretty much anything I could come up with has been covered above.
I will say though that I don’t think you’re on your own. Between you, me and the gatepost (and I hope that isn’t a peculiarly english saying and that you know what I mean!) we’ve got a lot of mental issues in my family and I’ve spent a long time worrying that I’ve somehow passed something mentally terrible onto the girl. Having studied other toddlers though I have to conclude that they’re all barking mad.
Barbaras last blog post..150/365 – Party Time
It’s absolutely normal. And it’ll get worse as she gets older, because she’s really bright. I agree with the others who have said ‘boundaries and consistency’. I, personally, have a problem with consistency because most of the time I’m so tired I can’t even remember what it is that I DID last time they did this. I struggle with it EVERY DAY hoping my kids will stop pushing my buttons soon. My 5 year old still pushes every button daily. My neighbor told me today that her 13 year old still does it. I’m guessing it’ll be the entire 18 years. Good lord, that’s a lot of button pushing!
Good luck.
Hyphen Mamas last blog post..There’s no place like home….
It’s normal and she will sleep – just as she hits puberty you’ll be forever dragging her out of bed to get to school on time 😉
Jaynes last blog post..Accidentally Cool Chocolate Starfish June 1st
No advice, just sending some ((HUGS)). Stay strong too.
Joyce-Annes last blog post..A Friday Haiku
YES! Oscar will be totally happy and then crying and screaming and I can’t figure out why. And, he bangs his head into things (walls, the floor, etc.) just to make himself really pissed off. He’ll slap himself in the face too, just so he can get good and worked up, or “fall” down. But then, he’s jumping on the couch and falls off and just laughs. WTF?
Jennis last blog post..Woe is Me
OH, and he naps and it DOES NOT HELP. He always wakes up crankier than when he went down, so don’t feel too bad about the not napping. It probalby wouldn’t be much better, although you would get a little peace and quiet.
Jennis last blog post..Woe is Me
totally normal. thank god they are cute or else we’d eat them before they turned 2.
nikkis last blog post..Hey Hey Hockeytown!
I’ve had a few days with The Gambit like that recently. I’m hoping it’s because of his cold…
I know you say naps don’t work, but is she still in a crib or a playpen? If so, can you simply leave her in there for a few hours until she calms down? Eventually she has to stop screaming, and sheer boredom might carry her off to sleep. Especially if you put a space heater in the room and bake her at about 80 degrees.
Not that I’ve ever done this.
Robin G.s last blog post..Hope Springs the Turtle (part one)
I think all non-napping two year olds are psychotic. If she’s till doing those things at age 8, I’d start to get really worried.
xo
Kats last blog post..Me? Diplomatic? Hahahahahaaaaaaaaaaa!
No toddler tantrum experience for me yet but they are both so damn adorable so isn’t the bi-polar thing forgivable? LOL.
talinas last blog post..36 week progress, practice labor? We’ll see!
your kids are adorable! sorry you are having troubles….
oh btw are you on facebook??
OMG I just had that thought the other day. One day Kaiya went from laughing, to crying, to peeing in about 8.5 seconds. The sad thing is each emotion/action has the same grimace so I didn’t know what the heck was going on she just kept grimacing. I’m thinking from ages 2-3 and 13-20 they should live with grandparents.
Courts last blog post..My potty training saga… soga… as in soggy..
Mim said it perfectly. That is what I did with my kids. Bedroom time outs were the best and believe it or not, I still use them on occasion.
Even with a 15 year old.
Jenn FLs last blog post..Men .. Redux
There have been many times I’ve wondered if my son is normal!! The emotional roller coaster he is on sometimes must be called Devil’s Revenge or something. Now that he has left the Terrible Two’s behind him and only has Sometimes Terrible Threes, it’s soooo much better!
He stopped napping a long time ago, but I can definitely notice if bedtime has crept too late because his behavior goes out the window, so I relate to what you mean. It has been a long time since his bedtime has been before 8 or 8:30 p.m. and the other night he was asleep before 8 p.m., so I know he was exhausted. He was such a pleasure the next day it made me want to put him to bed at 5pm the next day. LOL Unfortunately, it just won’t work…but don’t get me talking about sleep b/c I won’t stop. That’s what my blog is for, right? :p
At least we know we aren’t alone in this!
Nicoles last blog post..Baby Temperament and Sleep Series: Mood
yip.. all normal for a toddler.
Add a demanding baby brother to the mix and you get 1X bipolar kid and 1X strung out mommy.
Pias last blog post..My lens has a mind of its own…
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