my child- she no listen

[chilibeansm0m]

I am so exhuasted. Yes i am pregnant but it seems like ever since R turned 2 something clicked and she no longer listens when you tell her something.

When we tell her to clean up or come here or let's go there or first______then or when you______then_______ it almost always results in her running away, covering her face laughing and throwing herself on the ground. if this is 2 years old I'm screwed. It's EXHUASTING and makes me want to cry with her. Bribery doesn't work either. It just takes forever to get anything done. To the point that I'm taking away toys because they're too much of a mess that i don't want to deal with. I don't even know how we ended up with so many toys. I want to throw them all out! It's so hard for me to pick her up and make her and obviously i don't believe in spanking or anything like that. All we've been doing is taking away barney or dora or minnie. Stuff like that but honestly i don't think it is sinking in or enough or even phasing her.

Is this a phase? Please tell me we aren't alone. What are you all doing?

Signed,

34 weeks pregnant, tired and cranky.


Eta part of me thinks she senses the baby is coming. Could it be just that though?

[tarheelmom]

I can absolutely commiserate (with the terrible twos, not the pregnant part)!

DD seemed to have flipped a switch right at 2 years...she used to listen and follow direction and suddenly it is all about testing every limit. The best approach seems to be to redirect, but that only works so long.

I will say that my friend with a DD almost the same age as my DD has much less trouble with her 2yo because she has a new baby that her DD thinks is the best thing ever. So you may have an easier time after your baby is born. Good luck, crossing fingers that it gets easier for you!

[cjsmom]

I'm too tired this morning to give any advice but anytime I ask DS to do something, his response is "huh?".

[TheEleventhHour]

I think it is definitely part of the age/phase. They are definitely trying to assert their independence at this point so saying no comes with that territory unfortunately.

I don't know if this would work with R but for whatever reason DS will only listen to me when I ask him to clean up if we sing the "Clean Up Song". No clue. I can say "Please pick up your toys" and he'll scream "NO" and then I'll start singing the damn song and he'll do it. It is the weirdest thing but I'm running with it. He knows all the words now and even puts his name in it. Worth a shot maybe?

[flmama622]

Henley has been getting worse lately and has been lashing out at only me, she definitely knows the baby is coming and I think she must have some sort of resentment. Wednesday I stayed home from work with her since she had a fever and she just cried and cried for DH, even standing in the garage where he parts crying for me. I went in there to get her and she gave me the hand and said "No mama, go away".

She's also started throwing toys everywhere and refusing to pick up. She will come out and tell me that she made a "big big mess" and then nothing, I don't know how to get her to help clean up at this age when she refuses.

My pediatrician said 2.5-3.5 is the worse age and to prepare. Fun times ahead with a NB

[TheEleventhHour]

flmama622 Oh my goodness DS has started pushing me away and saying "No!" if I try to play with him and DH. When DH is around he wants NOTHING to do with me. I have been SAH with DS the last 2.5 months and he will also cry for DH somes days. I know it doesn't really mean anything but it crushes me a little nonetheless.

[flmama622]

TheEleventhHour, It's the worse! Last week I was trying to get her to stay in her bed since I am due in 2 weeks and she literally was yelling at me. I just cried. I felt like saying "I ruined my body for you, nursed you for 18 months, haven't slept in over 2 years and this is how you re-pay me"

[chilibeansm0m]

flmama622 oh noooooo so basically were screwed is what you're saying?

privacy i totally forgot about warning them- in 2 min we're going to clean up... thank you.

TheEleventhHour that used to work but no more.

I'm really going to have to get creative here....

[jcar]

It's definitely not just R chilibeansm0m. DS has been the same way. He'll even give us this look after we told him to not do something and then he'll do it again just to test us to see what would happen. And as we clean (say legos/blocks), as soon as they're put away, he's throwing them all back out. It's exhausting. His pedi said this was a bad time to have a nb as the age of 2 is hard.

[URMySunshine77]

I feel for you momma! DS is pretty tame on most days, but I don't doubt that his time is coming.

I hope that she is super helpful when your LO arrives. XO

[brachysira]

Today in music class, all the other children were angels. My child spent the entire time trying to wedge herself behind the gates that protect the teacher's instruments and touch things things inside, just to get a reaction. Then it became a game, and she'd yell, I'm stuck. Then other moms would think they should help my poor neglected child, only to have her run back to the same spot. She ate some random thing off the floor--probably rock salt--which she never does these days. She threw a loud fit because I would not let her carry around a wand that was for sale. She tried to steal the camera of the professional photographer that was there to take pictures and then threw a semi-continuous tantrum that she could not have the camera. That was all in the time frame of 40 minutes. Every question is answered with a "no." She won't eat any foods except french fries, cereal, cookies, or fruit. She has completely picky, unclear, nonsensical cup preferences and if it isn't what she wants, she tosses it. She had a bedtime tantrum loud enough to wake her brother, who is impossible to put to sleep. And it goes on and on.

[michieu129]

It's bad here too. I think part of the problem may be me. Being pregnant, I have a much shorter temper, zero patience and am so tired. I think Jack is picking up on that and reacting to it.
I do try very hard to stick to a routine, and that seems to be helping quite a bit. And I do also do lots of warnings. I don't use minutes with Jack since he has no concept, but events he knows go together. For instance, after dinner, I allow him 30 minutes to watch Thomas if he is quiet and lays on his blanket. After that, he has to put his blanket and pillow away and we go upstairs. So I'll say to him as the end song from Thomas comes on, "ok, after thomas is over please put your blanket and pillow away in the chest." Very, very specific. Then I praise him when he does.
I also use "can you be a big boy and help Mama..." This also seems to work really well with Jack.
I also was watching a parenting video, the tips were for 2.5 y/o's and up, and she had a good line. "When....then..."
For instance, "WHEN you pick up your Legos, THEN you can watch Dora." She also states to leave the room after the sentence to avoid an argument and to show you have confidence in your child that they will do it without your supervision. And, of course, follow through if they don't. No Dora.
I haven't used this yet with Jack, not sure if he'd get it yet, but I am going to start soon I think.
This age is so hard. And I am so afraid of it being harder because of sibling resentment! I am trying to do all the discipline reading I can now to prepare. I know once the baby gets here I am screwed otherwise.

[ohiodoxiemama08]

I feel ya. I am sooo cranky and irritable these days. My patience is so thin. I feel bad for DD and DH (though less bad for him--what is it about men that can just really push your buttons when pregnant?) I just feel like everything is a battle these days. One that I often decide not to fight and turn on Disney instead. Mom of the year here, lol.

[dckate]

Yup, here as well. The only thing yhay really seems to help is to use heaps and heaps of praise when she does something I ssk, like put something in the garbage can or put her shoes way.

Yesterday she had s FIT because I wouldn't let her climb all over the computers at the library. Screaming, crying and pushing me away. I hate the pushing away!!