Please help I'm having a terrible day with the one year old From Hell and feel like I'm losing the plot!

[Jacksmybaby]

Been having One of Those Days with DS - so far he has managed to switch the washing machine cycle onto a boil wash and wreck a load of delicates in the machine, break the arm of my glasses, scratch and bite me drawing blood, scream and scream in blood-curdling, ear splitting fashion, follow me round all morning hanging on to my legs, throw food everywhere, repeatedly throw his water beaker on the floor so the lid flies off and water goes everywhere... you get the picture right?! I am well aware he's just a perfectly normal 12 month old (whom I adore, BTW) but I feel like screaming myself. Have been on fluoxetine for about 5 weeks and have been feeling loads better recently but today feel back to square one. As I type this he's standing next to me whining and trying to pull my hands off the keyboard because I'm not allowed to do anything that doesn't involve giving him 100% attention! Phoned my mum in desperation and she promised to come round by 12.00 but it's now 1 and she's not here. Phoned DH at work and he was sympathetic but in a very "chin up, you'll be fine" sort of way! Don't know what to do! Want to run away and hide! Help!

[NAB3wishesfor2008]

Has he had his lunch?
Does he need a drink or a nappy change?
Is it time for his nap?

I understand totally where you are coming from.

If it isn't nap time, give him 10 minutes attention and then move on to the next thing. I used to find with mine they let me get on if I had done something with them first.

[Jacksmybaby]

Thanks. He threw most of his lunch on the floor but did eat and drink something. He is due a nap shortly so will try putting him down. It's not him really, it's me! Have got myself all worked up in a state now so don't even feel able to talk to him / cuddle him / even put him down for his nap! Which is winding him up even more.

[AlisonWonderland]

Thanks for posting on my other thread, JMB

Would recommend this website to calm LO down -- have him on your lap, play with it for five mins and have a quiet cuddle with him. Then you can put him down for his nap and have a well-earned cuppa!

[newmummy27]

hi
hope you are feeling a bit better now, has your mum arrived? you are not back to square one, its just a little set back, tomorrow may be a whole lot better.
how about going for a walk with him to the park to distract him and get out f the house in the fresh air yourself?

[Jacksmybaby]

Thanks AW and newmummy. M has not arrived yet, phoned to say "running late" Arggghhhh! Obviously did not make it clear enough what a crap day am having. Am still in PJs as DS has not given me 2 mins so far to get showered or dressed but will try to get out to park this p.m.

[Jojay]

Don't beat yourself up - my DS is 15 months and I cannot stand being at home with him - get out of the house would be my advice.

Soft play?

Walk in the park?

Feed ducks?

Best of all, let Granny take him out to do those things and give yourself a well earned afternoon off!!

And for the record, my ds has done EXACTLY the same thing with the washing machine too............!

[Jacksmybaby]

Thanks all for messages. Typically my M arrived just as DS had dropped off to sleep! But now feeling a lot calmer and having a cup of tea, going for bath in a sec!

[NK49c6648bX1181c877b81]

Hi there - this all sounds incredibly familiar so I hope you can take comfort in the fact that I am sure there are many of us out there feeling like we are going slowly nutty every day. I hope you're having a better day today and I'm sure having your mother around helped. If it's any consolation, I am having this kind of day today myself but you have already made me feel better knowing that I'm not the only one who gets this way and I think it's great to share feelings on this website. Anyway, my 13 month old is exactly the same. I put it down to teething most of the time (although surely it can't be that - he's only got 6 teeth so if it is teething I hope the rest are all coming out at once!) but do get incredibly frustrated at how little I get done as he always demands 100% of my attention and really knows if he's not getting it. As with you, he's always clinging to my legs and gets worked up into a frenzy incredibly quickly. This morning, I'm horrified to say that I did actually shout at him which makes me feel even worse. Am feeling doubly bad as I called my mum this morning to let off steam and get some advice (and this was all before 9am!). I rambled on in tears for about five mins and she listened and comforted and was lovely and selfless and then when I stopped told me that my grandfather / her father died last night. How awful I feel - I know that we all feel it is a merciful thing as he's very old and has had no quality of life for years but he was the most amazing man and my last surviving grandparent. Just makes me realise that we are all still children at heart even when we're parents.

[Jacksmybaby]

NK49 thanks for your message and sorry to hear about your grandfather. I did feel a bit sheepish after I'd calmed down yesterday and felt guilty for ranting on when there are people out there suffering actual problems as opposed to just dealing with a healthy normal 1 yr old! But good to know others get the same way too. Hope your day gets better. We have just been to soft play group so he has let off some steam this morning and hoping for better p.m. today!

[NK49c6648bX1181c877b81]

Hi there jacksmybaby - I'm feeling much better too now. I'm feeling very philosophical about my grandfather and have seen lots of people today and it's all been fine really - we all know it was the very best thing for my grandfather and I really didn't mean to make you feel bad about ranting about supposed problems versus actual problems as we all know what it's like dealing with willful todlers (I know they say terrible twos but I think it starts much before that). I was just letting off steam and don't think I would have been nearly as emotional if I wasn't dealing with the toddle from hell this morning! I think it's very real the frustration mums can feel when they've been used to holding down good jobs and being in control and then make a decision to stay home and be a mum full time and suddenly realise that you're not as patient a person as you'd like to be (that's my problem anyway!) and that you can't be in control of everything in the way that you were used to. Anyway, it is very good to know that we all have these days and having spoken to people today I'm finding out that they (the babies and the mums) all have their moments (although, can't help feeling sometimes that my child does have a particularly loud voice and is particularly quick to make his displeasure known!). Hope you have a very good weekend and don't worry about the spoiled laundry. Less ironing to do.

[Jacksmybaby]

NK49 know exactly what you mean about the job thing, and also about feeling your child is more high maintenance than other little ones!
Weekend ok?