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My Journey Toddler (1-2yo)

“Normal” Toddler behaviour (send the wine!)

I’ve been very focused on all the happies, on Christmas shopping and amazing giveaways and celebrating the new adventures I’m embarking on and the relationships I have found and the gorgeous events I have attended. What I haven’t talked about is the reality of my mom life swirling around all of that, so I thought it might be time for a reality check in. Outside of the sudden entrepreneur in me, I am also the mom of a toddler who hates sleep and food and seemingly everything else at the moment.

What the heck is up with toddlers?! For real! One minute I have the most precious smart sassy adorable loving charming singing dancing toddler and the next…

COPYRIGHT MLM Dancing

Did you know she can whine, cry, scream, throw things, say no to everything, tell you to “just stay here” so she can go do that thing you have told her not to do 50 times in the last 5 minutes, from 4:45 in the morning straight through to 7:30 at night?

COPYRIGHT MLM tears

The pure WILL on this child is terrifying. Part of me is thrilled that she is such a powerful little person in her own right; that she knows what she wants and wants to do more things for herself and that she believes with all her brave little toddler heart that she can do anything. I love that! I think it’s amazing that she teaches herself to do dozens of new things daily, but there are limits – like trying to climb my wall mounted bookshelves. And the running into crowds without waiting for us; I need to get one of those kiddy harnesses!! She is just going to vanish one day.

COPYRIGHT MLM  Attitude

Wednesday night we went to the new food truck market at Kenilworth Racetrack and I literally wanted to sit down and just let her run off into the crowd; because it was Wednesday, our alone day, and she refused to walk, sit, go in her pram, go in any direction you wanted to, eat, drink or listen to any question or instruction. I was at my end and eventually just told B we had to leave and put her to bed before I joined her lying screaming like a toddler on the ground.

I keep asking myself if this is normal behaviour and then somebody will post on social media or their blogs or a friend will message me and say “WTF is UP with this child? I may just leave him/her in the house and go for a walk” or “Give me all the wine” at 9am; and as awful as it sounds, I breathe a little easier. That means this IS normal and my child is not a little gremlin secretly eating after midnight.

Knowing its “normal” toddler behaviour helps to a degree, but only to a degree… It doesn’t much help with my patience or trying not to shout right back at her. Old school crying tantrums are kind of manageable, because I have the cuddle into submission thing down and I can hold her and love her and support her through it. But this blatant defiance, angry scowling, explosive anger, overt ignoring of what I say thing, that I just don’t know how to do!

COPYRIGHT MLM defiance

I must say I am hugely relieved we aren’t heading off anywhere over the holidays, the idea of being stuck with her in a car for more than half an hour is truly terrifying. And, even though Christmas and loads of family time is my favourite thing EVER, I’m a little nervous of what that is going to look like with my little whirlwind. (If you are going to be stuck with a potentially bored toddler for any length of time, it is worth heading over here and entering to win a free Zipup busy bag).

Any tips from the more experienced moms on how to manage this “trying” time with Charly? Otherwise, send all the wine (says the non-drinker)!

Sending all the love xx

P.S. For something lighter, go read about ALL the amazing book things on this week’s Christmas list!!

16 replies on ““Normal” Toddler behaviour (send the wine!)”

I hear ya !!
My Baby girl is 18 months .
One moment she is the cutest little angel , just want to put her on a shelf and look at her while it lasts!
In a second she changes into an over the top “Drama Queen”!!!
When we go to the shops I tell my husband ,just please please stay in the car with her !
She screams kicks and hits her way thru the shops with an end result of me hiding my blushed face running for an exit ,hoping no one noticed the Tasmanian Devil on my hip!!
Ha ha !!
But I love her to bits and hoping this will pass soon !!!!!!
But I think I must join the “Mommy’s wine Club” !!!Yes Please !!!

Cheers (with our imaginary 11am wine)! Sending ALL the hugs and the strongs your way! That skew looks from other parents thing eats at me too.

hehehe I feel you sister.
Going through the same defiant thing! and ontop of it -it goes from naughty to mama mama mama which also gets a tad much at times when you have ANYTHING to do other than just play dog all day (as she is a dog after all):) hahaha love you xxxx youre doing a great job! Aunty Tam will need to charly bear a talking to! Why the HEK do they need to take after our bad habits!

LOL sister! Too true <3 And yes, she totally does the huge tantrum shouting and then comes running crying to me and wants to cuddle and wants nobody else 🙁 Drives me BATTY!

Lately I feel like mine spends more time in time out and throwing tantrums than being happy.
When you finished pouring yourself a drink then pour one for me, says the other somewhat non-drinker

It passes?

We are struggling with Emma at the moment too. She is probably the most fiery of them all. We have a very real problem with her bullying Jack! She is also at the I will throw myself down here and scream” stage.

Its my fourth time at this rodeo so I step over her and carry on (or put her in the car or carry on with my shopping). It passes and then you have a 13 year old tantrum – also all kinds of fun!

Sorry (& yet relieved to hear). I always try to track how things are going for you with Emma because ours are birthday twins.
Some days I can step over her, other days she grabs onto my ankles and makes me fall 😛 NOT looking forward to the tweens and teens if she is this hectic now!! Thanks as always for sharing!! <3

Thank you so much for this. I can now say it’s normal. My son has just turned 2 and over the last couple of months he’s become a little troll. He’s decided sleeping through the night is just too much work. We’ve had to remove anything that isn’t almost bolted down from his room coz he will throw things at his closed door because he doesn’t want to sleep at 2am. And scream the house down. Incrediblely strong will. I’m both proud and freaked out at the same time by it. I’m about to look in to whether or not the army takes toddlers to straighten them out. But I love my boy to death though. A little face with a smile I can stare at forever.

Thank YOU so much for commenting!! If you find out that the army does take them, please let me know 😉 X

I’m right there with you. 18 month old little girl, so opinionated, so strong-willed, that can kick and scream and bite and refuse to eat or drink or do anything. I miss the easy baby days :'( lol

*biggest hugs*
Still a while until I get to face this new “normal”, but i’m sure you will get through. Wish I could drink wine for you! Sounds like a really rough patch, but hopefully this phase ends soon and you can enjoy a fun holiday together.

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