Tattle Tots

[Ranty McRantington]

Whenever I try he either bites my finger by accident ouch!!he shouts at me which I need him to shout to open his mouth but he sticks his tongue in the way

That's exactly what Sofia does. I don't know how but she manages to cover all of her teeth with her tongue!

She's obsessed with my electric toothbrush, so I used to let her walk around with it whenever she wanted, in the hope she'd atleast accidentally catch every tooth. Then I bought her her own, and the novelty lasted all of two days before she wanted mine again. I don't mind her using it. It's just I dread to think what else she brushes with it. As I once caught her cleaning the bottom of her sandles with it once x

 

[Flossy2019]

Hi all!! I have an 8year old son and 4year old daughter. They're amazing, obviously. But, omg sometimes they argue continually non stop. At times they can be great, but during this lockdown jeeeeez. I sometimes wonder if it because they are boy girl whether this is why they argue so much?! My friend has 2 boys and I am sure they do not bicker like my two do.

My daughter was a text book baby, napped and fed on cue and hit her milestones super early. Since we hit 2 though she has been a little handful. Mealtimes are generally a struggle, both my 2 have a small appetite but she will rarely try anything new.

This lockdown is a testing time. I am working from home while my husband has been furloughed. I sometimes think he is more challenging than the kids!!!!!!

My brother is four years older than me and we used to fight (physically and verbally) like maaaad so I reckon you’ve got a rough few years ahead I think you always get one fussy eater in the family. men are definitely worse than kids I think. Mine is anyway he’s a big baby himself

 

[Ranty McRantington]

Ah bless you, I’m the same type of mum, we make a rod for our own backs! I usually do the same as you and it works, it’s just the past few days nothing has been helping her settle and I’m knackered from trying everything. From what I’ve read online a sleep regression is expected at this age so doesn’t seem like there’s much I can do trying to remember that it won't last forever though!

Aww no never feel bad for not leaving them to cry. I hate the saying 'Youre making a rod for your own back' my wicked MIL says it to me ALLLLLL the time. Whether or not it's true it's a load of bull. We do what we think is right for OUR children. Stuff anyone else and what they think. I'm exactly the same. I can not stand to hear my daughter get upset and then beside herself because I'm not there to comfort her! ,,

So, as you all know I'm recently pregnant. 6 weeks exactly.

This is my third baby.

Did anyone else get super bloated really early, not baby bloated, like water retention bloated?

As soon as it gets to midday I'm finding that I have to take off my normal jeans/trousers and even pants (sorry tmi), for jogging bottoms/leggings and big girl boxer type pants. It's soooo uncomfortable. It's ok for now as I'm not going anywhere, but I can only see it getting worse not better.

I also get super breathless, but I did get this with my daughter, last pregnancy, really early on too and the midwife said it's normal, just hormonal! Xxx

 

[GlennCoco]

My boy goes to bed between 6-7, he was up today at 6am He dropped his nap as soon as lock down began. When he napped he would go to bed between 7.30 - 8pm. It's a fine balance isn't it!

My little girl is 20 months and prior to lockdown would have a nap between 12-2pm (could be an hour, could be 2 depending on how she felt) and then would sleep from 6:30pm-7am.
Since lockdown we have been continuing her routine as normal but if she naps then she isnt going to sleep until 8-8:30pm. We've tried limiting her nap time, bringing it forward etc but nothing has worked. Didnt let her nap yesterday and she fell asleep in her tea at 5PM but then slept from 6:45pm to 6:45am!
I'm unsure about dropping her nap today as I'm on my own with her (husband is working today) and I love having an hour to myself whilst she naps...but then I would rather she slept for longer at night so difficult knowing what to do!

 

[Redwine]

Hey all. 16 month old and I'm losing the plot I know that no one is asking for sleep advice but I have a good sleeper (not bragging) but this is because I used Lucy Wolfes Sleep Solution book. She has a great instagram too. Just letting you all know in case anyone is at their wits end like I was xxxx

 

[GlennCoco]

Does anyone have any good tips for brushing baby’s teeth. My one year old hatesssss it I can’t get him to open his mouth without him sticking his tongue over his teeth ps he only has 6 teeth so far but they are just sooooo lovely and white I want to keep them clean

We have to brush our teeth at the same time as our little one does. She then "brushes" my teeth and I can brush hers

 

[grumpycat]

Thank you, something definitely has to give, we usually co sleep because it means that I get a semi decent nights sleep but obviously that’s not happening right now! She has a cot so I think I’ll need to stick her in it and try ‘gentle’ CIO like you suggested. I know how horrible it is from trying before, you must’ve been strong to stick with it. Gradual chair method sounds like it could be useful, I’ll have a read up on it

Thanks again!

no problem We had the first few goes of being quite teary but I just explained I would be next door/outside and there’s no need to be scared, I’m right here and he kind of got the hang of it, I would leave him for 20/30 secs for the first bit and build it up. It took time but I’d much rather do that then go in hard and fast because it’s not my jam!

You could also try gradual separation in the day? We’ve had times where the minute I’d go out the room he’d cry blue murder from separation anxiety so I’d literally walk out, and then be talking from the other side of the door so that he knew I was still there/ then come back in and say ‘i told you mummy would be back!’ and kept it up so I wasn’t always right there with him.

Good luck

 

[chocolate choux]

Hey, I have a 10 year old stepdaughter and a 1 year old little boy!
So happy to read other people's teeth brushing struggles! My son hates it, usually have to hold him down to do it but lately my sd has been doing hers at the same time so he let's us!

Aw, my daughter is the same! Good on you for cracking it, it’s sweet how they change their minds about something if they see someone else doing it. No older siblings here so have to make do with distractions and letting her have a go. Tried showing her the Tombliboos brushing their teeth but it made her sob hysterically

 

[Ranty McRantington]

Does anyone have any good tips for brushing baby’s teeth. My one year old hatesssss it I can’t get him to open his mouth without him sticking his tongue over his teeth ps he only has 6 teeth so far but they are just sooooo lovely and white I want to keep them clean

My daughter is exactly the same and she's 2. The things I have tried are the baby teeth wipes, the toothbrush you stick over your finger, brushing them at the same time as her and then literally just pinning her down and brushing them whilst she screams the house down! My most successful when she was one was the toothbrush over the finger, and now I have a child's electric toothbrush which I let her use with some children's apple toothpaste, which is her favourite flavour. I find the electric toothbrush is better because if she only lets me brush for a few seconds atleast it is doing more brushing than I could do with a manual toothbrush!

Toothbrushing is a nightmare isn't it. I think it's the second hardest thing to do after putting eyedrops in their eyes x

Ah I hope this thread takes off! I’ve got a girl who’s 8 next month and currently expecting another bundle of joy, I’m 16 weeks. Nervous about going back to it all after so long but hoping everything will just fall back into place. I had my sisters nephew for a sleep over a while back he was maybe about 12 months and I was like “what do I do if he wakes? Do I give him a bottle or what?” Like as if I’d never spent a night with a baby lol, although I think when it’s your own baby you’re so much more confident with them

So do I! I need somewhere with people that are on my wavelength with parenting that isn't all flowers and rainbows and the pretence that it's forever the most amazing thing to do in the world!

That is exactly the same age gap as my two. My son was 8 when I gave birth to my daughter. He ended up witnessing the full birth as I gave birth at home, unexpectedly. It was a big shock for us all but for him,. He woke up at 1am to me, legs akimbo, on the bathroom floor, pushing out a baby! The only thing he said to me was 'Mummy, you said babies come out of your belly button, but Sofia's coming out of your line'!!!! ! Although he was very sweet, I went into shock afterwards and was freezing cold shivering on the floor and was screaming at my other half to get me the duvet off the bed, and William comes in with his tiny Spiderman fleece blanket lol!


I was terrified to go through it all again, but I needn't have been. It all comes back to you as if it was yesterday and you'll be so much more relaxed once baby's here. Also don't lure yourself into a false sense of security, like I did, thinking because of the big age gap they won't argue!!! Mine argue like bloody cat and dog! I can't believe how much William, who's now nearly 10, can get wound up by a bloody 2 year old! They drive me round the bend sometimes! X

Hi

I have an 8 month old boy. Hardest 8 months of my life

Quarantine has got me feeling a little jealous of all my friends as they are child free so are just having lay ins, watching netflix and drinking lots of wine lol. But then my boy smiles at me and I feel super lucky!

ATV

Oh me too. Although I wouldn't change my life for the world, I do dream about going through quarantine without children and sleeping all day, binging on naff TV and the soaps!

Instead I'm refereeing a 9 and 2 year old, oh and a 34 year old who could be worse than the kids put together ! Roll on Lee going back to work on Monday! X

 

[grumpycat]

How are you lot coping with entertaining your little one?? Does anyone have any tips or ideas. I’m currently working mornings so I have all afternoon to occupy him and I just feel a bit bored and I’m sure he is too

I’m still working so he comes to the office though I feel so bad he’s not getting the bits of fun he used to do when he was at pre-school 2 mornings.
I try to get him colouring, and when we get home, we are straight to the garden or for a walk. we got some sand in our shop at Tesco and it’s been such a godsend!

 

[Jdottt13]

Hi all

I have son, almost 2.5 now. I think we need to start potty training and let’s just say I am notttttt ready for it.
We are lucky as our routine hasn’t really changed but he is missing his great grandparents lots and keeps asking for them
I have to say I’m finding my patience fraught though, it’s so tough not having a break isn’t it?

2.5 year old here too, and also thinking about potty training. Think lockdown would be the perfect time to do it but tbh I don’t know where to start I’ve had his potty out for a few weeks now but he won’t go near and whinges if I mention it lol.
Our routine hasn’t changed much either he’s just missing out on parks and soft plays but he is loving having daddy at home each day. Been FaceTiming grandparents who I know are missing him like mad and he can’t wait to see them either. Heart breaks for them as they don’t understand what’s going on at the moment xx

Btw Hello everyone I have a 2.5 year old boy called Louie and am 21 weeks pregnant with baby boy #2. We are super happy just not looking forward to the sleepless nights again haha! Louie is generally good and asleep by 7:30 each night so me and my fiancé have definitely got used to having the evenings to ourselves and just being able to chill (usually is me watching the soaps and then him on the xbox such romantics!) so I’m trying to cherish every evening atm as we all know time to yourselves becomes a thing of the past with a newborn I’m hoping by the time the baby is here I have cracked Louies potty training, gotten rid of his milk bottle he still has before bed, and said goodbye to the dummies he still has at night

 

[Flossy2019]

Anyone else’s routines gone out the window since lockdown normally he goes to bed at half 6-7 ish and he’s only just gone down now I’m so tired I could cry

 

[grumpycat]

Aww no never feel bad for not leaving them to cry. I hate the saying 'Youre making a rod for your own back' my wicked MIL says it to me ALLLLLL the time. Whether or not it's true it's a load of bull. We do what we think is right for OUR children. Stuff anyone else and what they think. I'm exactly the same. I can not stand to hear my daughter get upset and then beside herself because I'm not there to comfort her! ,,

So, as you all know I'm recently pregnant. 6 weeks exactly.

This is my third baby.

Did anyone else get super bloated really early, not baby bloated, like water retention bloated?

As soon as it gets to midday I'm finding that I have to take off my normal jeans/trousers and even pants (sorry tmi), for jogging bottoms/leggings and big girl boxer type pants. It's soooo uncomfortable. It's ok for now as I'm not going anywhere, but I can only see it getting worse not better.

I also get super breathless, but I did get this with my daughter, last pregnancy, really early on too and the midwife said it's normal, just hormonal! Xxx

I’ve not had it personally but wanted to say congrats on your pregnancy

 

[Flossy2019]

I’m bloody sick of my child turning the tv off and on again My house is a shit tip and I’m bloody knackered. Anyone else

I’m still badly anaemic from having my son 12 months ago so i feel knackered all the time. Plus I’m ready to kill my other half on this lockdown

 

[Jdottt13]

haha snap to all of this except I’m not pregnant

we don’t have a potty, but we have been speaking about it to him and he’s been saying he’d like to so I know we need to introduce it. I’ve always heard boys are slow so I’m not in much of a rush

I hear ya on the dummy front though. All of a sudden he’s gotten v attached and asking for it all the time and I’m refusing to give in. I’m going to start getting much harder on it and just deal with the fall out. Tough though isn’t it!

yeah I think tomorrow morning I’m going to put pants on him and explain the potty etc and keep prompting him and see how we get on. If it causes a meltdown tho I’ll put a nappy on him and try again in a few weeks!
haha yeah I stopped him having dummies during the day at the start of this year as I didn’t want it to delay his speech, but I think I will wait until he’a a bit older/ bit more understand and then we will have the dummy fairy come & take them away and leave him a present

 

[GlennCoco]

I worked this morning and all my child has done since 130 is moan I’m losing the will to live. I pick him up he cries I put him down he cries I give him his drink he cries I change his nappy he cries I put tv on he cries hes only happy when he’s waving at the dog bath and bed I think. For both of us he took his first steps today without holding on

It's hard when they dont know what they want and you dont know what they want!! But well done on taking his first steps

 

[Ninjacat]

My little girl is 20 months and prior to lockdown would have a nap between 12-2pm (could be an hour, could be 2 depending on how she felt) and then would sleep from 6:30pm-7am.
Since lockdown we have been continuing her routine as normal but if she naps then she isnt going to sleep until 8-8:30pm. We've tried limiting her nap time, bringing it forward etc but nothing has worked. Didnt let her nap yesterday and she fell asleep in her tea at 5PM but then slept from 6:45pm to 6:45am!
I'm unsure about dropping her nap today as I'm on my own with her (husband is working today) and I love having an hour to myself whilst she naps...but then I would rather she slept for longer at night so difficult knowing what to do!

Sounds like you both need a bit of a break in the day still, maybe let her stay up and watch a bit of telly for 30 mins after lunch (my son loves watching Wallace and Gromit at the mo)? So you can have a breather and a brew

 

[Prodcon21]

The first 4-5 days I would tell him to use the potty every hour or so. After about a week, he knew when he needed to go and now 2.5 weeks on he tells me. Tbh I totally winged it Peppa is banned in this house, I’ve never seen an episode I have been hulk smashing and spider webbing around the house though because he’s obsessed with superheroes currently

I came on for potty advice. He’s not 2 until June - but is a smart lad. And we thought we’ll probably never get this much time again (without taking annual leave!) to really focus on training him.

We are putting him on ever 40 mins or so to see if he needs a wee. 9/10 he does. But he just is Not grasping that he needs to tell us. If he needs to go In between the 40 mins, he has an accident.

We’ve been doing it about 2 weeks now. Not wanting to give up - just needed to get it off my chest I guess. Feel like he’ll never get it.

Sent him to nursery today and I’m on pins over him wetting himself and the nursery nurses thinking it’s me being hopeless. Maybe I am!

 

[grumpycat]

I have a 17 month old daughter. She’s a good kid in general but sleep has always been an issue. I never noticed any sleep regressions before because she’s never slept well but the past 24 hours have taken the piss. Early hours of yesterday morning she was up for 2 hours, then refused to nap in the day for 4 hours, then took 4 hours past her bedtime to settle. So I spent literally 10 hours yesterday just trying to get her to sleep

I couldn’t even give up because if I did she’d cry and get herself into a state. She was obviously tired but wouldn’t sleep no matter what I tried. In the end she just seemed to pass out due to exhaustion

I’ve tried the cry it out method briefly before (HV advice) but she screamed non stop (up to over three hours straight) and kept having diarrhoea. She only settled when I changed her and calmed her myself

I’m so exhausted that I’m on the brink of trying it again. I don’t like it but I don’t know what else to do. The other methods I read about involve going in to comfort her then putting her back in the cot and leaving until she cries again. That wouldn’t work because she cries as soon as I put her down. As a single parent it’d just be me doing it which would be just as exhausting

Sorry for the rant I’m just at my wits end

that sounds so tough. especially if it’s hard to get out and about like normal and naturally tire them out

my son is a good sleeper but we have certainly had shit times with regression so I can get where you’re coming from!

today is a new day, try the same thing and maybe start a little bit of CIO? I know many people haaaaate it but we’ve tried phases of it, say a minute and then a shhhhh and comfort so they know you’re there, then a tiny bit longer. It’s absolutely horrible and I didn’t enjoy it but the very slow method we did helped him soon realise that we’re still close by and haven’t abandoned him.

we also did the gradual chair method(?!) where you move back slowly and slowly so you’re soon out of shot/the way. I do stay in the room until he falls asleep even now, but I’m out of sight x

 

[Ashad]

I’m bloody sick of my child turning the tv off and on again My house is a shit tip and I’m bloody knackered. Anyone else

I’m still badly anaemic from having my son 12 months ago so i feel knackered all the time. Plus I’m ready to kill my other half on this lockdown

I know what you mean my other half just looks at me and I want to explode and he’s done nothing