He turned one and now seems like a different kid!

[apple84]

My son is 12 1/2 months old. He just started walking a little over a week ago and is busy busy non-stop. He's always been active, but he has become even more active and stubborn and emotional lately. He melts down whenever I say no, sometimes by bursting into tears, other times by yelling "no no no!" and flailing and hitting anything within reach. He used to be very good at playing independently, but now nothing holds his attention for more than a couple minutes.

I take him out somewhere (usually where there are other kids to play with) once a day and he generally does really well, but he still seems to need more activity! I've tried taking him outside to run around, but it's wet and cold and while he's a good walker, he's still new to it and has difficulty on the uneven grass. I try letting him run around at the mall, IKEA or the library, but he doesn't listen, walks right in front of people who often don't see him because he's so tiny and gets into any trouble he can find. I tried a wrist harness and he screamed very loudly every time it stopped him from going somewhere he shouldn't, which made people stare and made me feel even more embarrassed that my LO is on a leash I considered buying a full harness, but if he hates this one, won't he hate that too?

Help! I felt like I was a great parent for Andrew's first year and now I feel like I'm slipping! On top of that we want to TTC #2 in 4 months, but now I'm feeling a little frightened about it

 

[celine]

I cant help hun but I feel your pain!!

Gabriel was walking at 10 months and that was summer time when all my friends babies liked to sit quietly and entertain themselves at picnics...needless to say i would be chasing my son around and he had NO intention of sitting still!
What I do now when we are out n about (we dont have a car so its usually a buggy) is if he wont listen to what i say and he walks where-ever then he goes in the buggy! Its cruel but he needs to learn to listen to mummy. Alot of the timke he does as he knows the walk to the store by now but there is a part with a huge road and he will NOT let me hold his hand across it so thats normally when i say fine - buuggy!

 

[Jchihuahua]

I think it must be a phase they go through at a year old hun because Daisy is the same now. She hates being told no and has a melt down at every nappy change/ teeth clean/ coat on/ getting into pushchair, you name it!

 

[Seraphim]

It's pretty common.

I try to get in there first if I see a stressy-bum brewing
H is usually totally distracted by a song, especially if there's actions to go with it. (Ok so people hearing my singing is just as embarrassing, but it keeps her amused )

She got a LittleLife daysack for xmas and she loved it. For some reason it works better than the tommee tippee reigns

I totally agree on the activity, we've got different toddler groups and a dance/music class booked every day of the week. Hopefully get swimming soon too. I'm wrecked, but she's happy

 

[hattiehippo]

I feel your pain too. Fortunatly Tom's not walking on his own yet but he wants to walk holding my hand all the time when we're out and has started having strops in his buggy now. And he might be holding my hand but if I try and stop him going where he wants, he screams and throws himself on the ground.

We're constantly going out to groups, soft play places etc as he has so much energy and needs tiring out otherwise he's awake at night. But he hates things finishing and I usually have a fight to get his coat on and sometimes have to carry him out under my arm.
We're giving swimming a break at the moment because he's such a handful in the changing room - if he's on the floor, he crawls off into the shower, he screams if I put him in the playpen and he's managed to fall off the changing bench once already! Shame because he loves going and it tires him out.

I try really hard to prewarn him about nappy changes, teeth etc but sometimes he just doesn't want to do what we need to do and the shouting and back arching starts. Exhausting!

 

[apple84]

Well at least it sounds like I'm not the only one

My husband thinks I'm cranky lately, but I'm just trying to cope with this transition right now. I need to find new strategies and ideas so Andrew and I can both be happy.