Toddler parenting advice
Alright.. I never ask for parenting advice because I know there are 100s of different opinions but I’m to a point where I need some of them. I have a 2.5 year old and 8 month old. My toddler is the exact reason why it’s called terrible 2’s... I’ve been trying so hard to work with her to sort through her emotions, and navigate day to day life as her own person. But recently we’re both struggling. She likes to destroy everything in her path, simply for a reaction. I folded 2 baskets of clothes and she decided to run in the living room and rip them all off the coffee table and throw them around then run away. This morning she grabbed my iced coffee off the table and dumped it all out simply to see my reaction. It’s been constant things like this for a few weeks now. And I know what you’re thinking, she’s bored/ needs attention. The thing is she gets TONS of attention. I’m home all day with her and spend 80% of the time playing with her. Building forts, coloring, reading etc and the baby just sits with us. She attends preschool 3 days a week for 4 hours a day. But even on those days she comes home in a rampage doing everything she can that she knows gets my attention (negative only) and ignores me once she sees what the reaction is. I don’t yell, spank etc but I get down to her level and firmly explain why what she did was not ok and tell her she is going to help me pick it up/ apologize. It’s 50/50 if she does or if she just runs away and starts another mess. I’ve thought it was too much energy but even on days we’ve run her wild (park, school, activities) she still does these things once we’re home. Screen time is typically limited to a little after dinner and a show or two during the day while I’m cooking lunch/ picking up. And she doesn’t pay attention to the tv for longer than 10 minutes before she gets bored and gets up and into something. Any advice? Open to it all.
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