16 month DS - is it agression or terrible 2's starting early?

[mabel1973]

Hope someone can help me / reassure me.
My 16 month old has always been very boisterous even when he was a tiny baby and is growing up to be very confident and is often mistaken for being older than he is.
Recently he has started having a few tantrums (throwing himself on the floor etc) which I can handle. However he is also throwing things in a temper and has also hit my face a few times. This has also happened at playgroup where he's thrown something at a child - however he has recently learnt to throw, so I am not sure if he's doing hat in a nasty way or not. Unfortunately there are a couple of aggressive children at Playgroup (older than him - about 3 or 4) and he has had run in's with them where they've tried to take toys off him and he won't let them, so they've thrown things at him or pushed him (their mothers do absolutely nothing which imo is why they are like they are) . I am worried that this kind of behaviour might be rubbing off on him.
As he's still so young, is it just a stage he needs to go through, or should I be worried?

[7up]

my 17month old ds starting headbanging at 14months and is still doing it now!he also squeals very loudly if he doesnt get what he wants and has on occasion smacked me in the face!

at the moment i can calm him down by whispering in his ear but doubt il be able to do that when hes 2half and the real tantrums kick in. bear with it and learn to move quick when that little hand comes towards your face

[staceym11]

my dd is 17 month and started the terrible twos about 4 months ago, she tantrums, throws things and can hit other children but she gets told off, sat on her own or timed out depending what happend and it works, she then has to kiss who she hurt (if we know them well enough) as she cant say sorry yet and generally its all forgotten.

is there any way you can go to a different toddler group if he doesnt mix well with those boys? i know it may seem a bit drastic but it might help you in the long run if he doesnt mix with children that can run riot like that with no consequences!

[mabel1973]

Hi

It's reassuring to know that otheres are out there with similar problems - as there don't seem to be any other children of his age who behave like this at playgroup - they seem to happy to just sit playing with a toy, while I spend an hour and a half running round after him making sure he doesn't get in to trouble.
Unfortunately I can't really move groups, I live in a small vilage with no transport and we have 2 playgroups on during the week and generally the same children go to bth groups.

[sct]

Its good to know its not just me! Having just spent the morning at playgroup where my 19month old DS spent the whole time throwing things and trying to drag other children off the cars. I was on the floor with him or in the corner doing time out (not that this seems to work!) Im hoping its jsut a phase but its embarrasing..other mums sit there chunnering 'oh if that was my child id do such and such or giving each other knowing looks. Please go easy on the mums of the naughty older boys - perhaps they just sit there and do nothing as they have reached the end of their tether! I know thats about where Im at! Anyway hes asleep now so im off to put my feet up! SS

[mabel1973]

I've just returned from playgroup and one of the agressive older boys has been almost bullying ds this afternoon.
Last time we went he really shoved him, so hard Ds went flying and his mum did actually make him apologise. However now when he see's ds he points at him calling him a horrible boy and starts having a paddy when ds goes near him and did actually push him over again today and ds hasn't actually done anything to this boy - but I am worried that this might affect him and he might start reacting the same way