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2 year old fine for everyone but me.

3 replies

Illustrated · 19/08/2014 12:05

My dd turned 2 a few weeks ago and it was like from the very night of her birthday all hell has broken loose.

She used to sleep through the night, go down for naps easily and was a very happy toddler. Thing is, she still is like that to everyone but me. If someone else has her she is completely fine with them, no trouble at all but as soon as I'm around she will instantly have tantrums, start hitting and screaming like shes possessed! It took me over an hour trying to get her to nap, every time I went in she will scream and wont let me put her down but as soon as someone else goes up there she will go straight down with no problems. Im a lone parent so it is mostly just me having to deal with her being this way but she is fine when I have my dp round or my parents look after her.

Whats going on and how am I supposed to deal with it? Normally if she has a tantrum I will tell her 'no' and then try and distract her with something else but its becoming less effective as time goes on.

Everyday I feel like crying now because its like I'm doing something wrong. Could it have something to do with the fact that her dad moved away recently and went from seeing her weekly to nothing at all for over a month?

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Flexibilityisquay · 19/08/2014 16:22

I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you can do about it, apart from carry on being calm and consistent with her. I just wanted to say I think it is very likely to be because her Dad has stopped seeing her. My DH had to go away for work unexpectedly when DS was a similar age, and while I know its not quite the same thing, DS turned from a placid easygoing child, into an absolute monster overnight! It was only afterwards I worked out the two things were connected.

Have you explained to her that her Dad has moved? Can she talk to him on the phone, or via Skype or similar, so she knows he is still about? I know it didn't really occur to me to explain to DS why his Dad had just disappeared, and once I did and he could speak to him, things improved a bit.

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HearMyRoar · 19/08/2014 19:16

I think this is one of those 'this to will pass' moments. Dd is 2.5 and has had phases like this. Like your dd she is a perfect joy for everyone else. My mother refused to believe she ever had a tantrum until she finally witnessed one as dd was so perfect with her. She is also a star at nursery.

I put it down to suddenly having a lot of emotions to deal work at 2 and not really knowing how to express them so they end up just screaming balls of rage. She does it with you because you are her mum and therefore safe. I know it's small comfort being told they are screaming at you because they love you, but I think there is something in it.

Take a deap breath and ride it out as flex says. They aren't called the terrible twos for nothing :)

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KatyN · 20/08/2014 07:14

My mum tellsme it's because my son knows I love him unconditionally so he can treat me as he likes. It doesn't always help!!

K

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