Toddler advice thread #5

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He’s 19 months now (! how) and is taking more of an interest in dressing/undressing, but apart from removing socks or loosely putting on a hat it all seems such a way off yet.
I’m consciously choosing easy clothes for his next size up to try and help him grasp it. Just seems unfair that the closer he gets to cracking it, the more layers I’ll be adding, but it is what it is.

Thank-you 🩵
Two of mine potty trained in the dead of winter, and it is absolutely fine 😊 your house will be lovely and warm, warm enough for a naked bottom half when it’s needed. And I think when you are constantly showing them how to push their trousers down during potty training it becomes a lot easier for them to grasp, as it’s being done so often.
 
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Two of mine potty trained in the dead of winter, and it is absolutely fine 😊 your house will be lovely and warm, warm enough for a naked bottom half when it’s needed. And I think when you are constantly showing them how to push their trousers down during potty training it becomes a lot easier for them to grasp, as it’s being done so often.
Thanks MamaMe. I just love a good overthink.
He’s got quite a bit of time out of nursery over summer and I think I’ve got myself in a tizz about the things he “needs” to have cracked before going back. When he doesn’t need to at all.
 
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Thanks MamaMe. I just love a good overthink.
He’s got quite a bit of time out of nursery over summer and I think I’ve got myself in a tizz about the things he “needs” to have cracked before going back. When he doesn’t need to at all.
We are all guilty of it! We all know rationally these things come in their own time, but it doesn’t stop us getting worked up and worried about things x
 
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I don’t post often in here but have been reading the thread and just want to thank everyone for sharing their wisdom and advice on parenting especially gentle parenting techniques.

My little boy is 20 months old, I would say I’m a pretty sensitive person and so is he, so trying to help him regulate while often feeling massively disregulated myself is often very challenging. I can often feel drained and touched out but I am trying hard to be patient and just to enjoy being with him and not being a stressed out mum.

I just feel I am always worried about something and wish I could just let it all go and be with him but as I say I’m working on it. ❤
 
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The problem I have with gentle parenting, and it’s not really a problem and hopefully one of you wise ladies can help, is that I don’t really understand it. I get the theory but I just never see it in practice. There seems to be a fine line between gentle parenting and just not really parenting and I don’t know how to walk it (for example at soft play, a child lobbed a toy at my then baby’s head, his mum said “oh no we don’t throw we use gentle hands” and he did it again, I moved her and then he did it to another child. Clearly that’s not really parenting (IMO anyway) but what actually constitutes “gentle parenting” in those circumstances?) I’m not sure if I’ve articulated it well at all, but I’m just confused about how far you go with boundaries etc. I didn’t realise the naughty step or going to their room was so controversial either (I don’t do them anyway as she’s too young and isn’t actually being naughty so what would it achieve 🤷🏼‍♀️)

I’m struggling anyway with pregnancy hormones m, usually quite chill but at the moment I’m so irritable and snappy all the time, feel like a terrible mum. Although I cried earlier because she waved at a bus and the bus driver and passengers waved back 😂 pregnancy is wild!

Anyway sorry that was a waffle!!!!
 
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The problem I have with gentle parenting, and it’s not really a problem and hopefully one of you wise ladies can help, is that I don’t really understand it. I get the theory but I just never see it in practice. There seems to be a fine line between gentle parenting and just not really parenting and I don’t know how to walk it (for example at soft play, a child lobbed a toy at my then baby’s head, his mum said “oh no we don’t throw we use gentle hands” and he did it again, I moved her and then he did it to another child. Clearly that’s not really parenting (IMO anyway) but what actually constitutes “gentle parenting” in those circumstances?) I’m not sure if I’ve articulated it well at all, but I’m just confused about how far you go with boundaries etc. I didn’t realise the naughty step or going to their room was so controversial either (I don’t do them anyway as she’s too young and isn’t actually being naughty so what would it achieve 🤷🏼‍♀️)

I’m struggling anyway with pregnancy hormones m, usually quite chill but at the moment I’m so irritable and snappy all the time, feel like a terrible mum. Although I cried earlier because she waved at a bus and the bus driver and passengers waved back 😂 pregnancy is wild!

Anyway sorry that was a waffle!!!!
Gentle parenting just means (to me) holding the boundary in a respectful way. So in the example above the little boy threw. She started well, then when he threw again she should have repeated and given a consequence “if you throw again we will have to move out of this part so you don’t hurt anyone” and then when it happened again she should have reminded him “we don’t throw, you’re hurting other children. We are leaving this area now so you can’t hurt anyone else.”
Far too many people use gentle parenting as a cover for letting their kids run wild. But it’s not that at all. Having the boundaries in place, and using logical consequences, rather than punishments. So you throw things and hurt kids, you have to leave so you don’t hurt anyone else. You draw on the walls, you can’t have access to the pens anymore. You bit me, I’m moving away so you can’t hurt me again. It’s also the adult learning and making the environment suitable for the child to succeed - no pens freely available, watching closely for signs they are about to bite so you can stop it.

this is instead of:
you drew on the walls, I’m going to shout and make you sit out there for five minutes, (but you’ll still have access to the pens to do the same tomorrow)
You bit me so I’m going to smack you and show you hitting is ok if it’s an adult
You threw a toy so you can’t watch tv later

That’s just my take anyway! It’s consequence to your actions rather than punishment would be my biggest take away.
 
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I try and follow gentle parenting. I’ve found the Sarah Ockwell Smith books really helpful. There’s a Facebook group too which I find useful as you can read real world scenarios and how parents are responding to them using gentle parenting techniques.
 
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The problem I have with gentle parenting, and it’s not really a problem and hopefully one of you wise ladies can help, is that I don’t really understand it. I get the theory but I just never see it in practice. There seems to be a fine line between gentle parenting and just not really parenting and I don’t know how to walk it (for example at soft play, a child lobbed a toy at my then baby’s head, his mum said “oh no we don’t throw we use gentle hands” and he did it again, I moved her and then he did it to another child. Clearly that’s not really parenting (IMO anyway) but what actually constitutes “gentle parenting” in those circumstances?) I’m not sure if I’ve articulated it well at all, but I’m just confused about how far you go with boundaries etc. I didn’t realise the naughty step or going to their room was so controversial either (I don’t do them anyway as she’s too young and isn’t actually being naughty so what would it achieve 🤷🏼‍♀️)

I’m struggling anyway with pregnancy hormones m, usually quite chill but at the moment I’m so irritable and snappy all the time, feel like a terrible mum. Although I cried earlier because she waved at a bus and the bus driver and passengers waved back 😂 pregnancy is wild!

Anyway sorry that was a waffle!!!!
Sorry, I am back for more 🙈 my issue with the naughty step is that it’s removing a child from everyone else,to a situation where they are alone and disregulated, and has no connection to what they did. Leaving them alone, calling their normal behaviour naughty and ignoring them. Someone above mentioned a little chair with stuff to do, where the adult stays close to help the child calm down away from the situation, but not alone, not shamed by being called naughty.

And please don’t ever feel guilty for your parenting in pregnancy. We do the best we can at a difficult time, and we are NOT fully in charge of our emotions (much like a toddler!) x
 
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Monday & Tuesday nursery. Wednesday is the only day she can do riding and swimming lessons, inbetween that it’s not like she is on the go.

Thursday is only the morning a 45 min class and then rest of the day we don’t do much. Friday she’s at nursery. Her behaviour is worse when we are “stuck in” all day. She isn’t one for being indoors, the days where I try and get her to sit and watch a film or something easy that is just relaxing she wants to play or go outside.

I don’t think her behaviour is cos she’s tired, she just seems to think she can have endless ice lollies and when I say no she goes mental! Whilst I appreciate people saying it’s a lot - we’ve always done it like this and she’s used to it.
Sorry to go back to this (a bit behind on the thread) but we do nursery M/T/W (well Monday is Granny day but similar vibes) and then a class on Friday. If I try and schedule anything in on a Thursday we get crabby, whinge, angry boddler. I know you said she’s used to it but she still could be tired. I’d be tired from swimming and horse riding in one day. We tend to limit activities to one a day to avoid meltdowns.

Sorry edited to say we go outside every day - walking the dog, going to the park, looking at birds etc. it’s actually scheduled activities with lots of other people or stimulation that is the issue.
 
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I think for me gentle parenting doesn’t mean not having boundaries or like never telling your child off. It’s not just being nicey-nicey, so in your example from the soft play I would be removing my child from the situation to stop him but equally I wouldn’t (hopefully) scream at him or punish him in a way that didn’t make sense.

Ah sorry just seen that this has already been answered much more eloquently 🤦‍♀️

But it is totally hard and we are all human. Toddlers push our buttons like nothing else sometimes but what I keep trying to come back to with my own boy is that he’s had less than 2 years experience with the world and with his feelings/body, he is literally learning and I need to guide and model behaviours for him, and also be a space for him to let out those big nasty feelings sometimes.

It’s always at soft play isn’t it 😅 we had an experience of an older kid (maybe 3 or 4) barging into the baby bit and starting to throw balls around, which nearly hit my child. The parent wasn’t really aware of what their child was doing but then they came over and just went “oh dear. Come on let’s go and buy you a cake” ! I think gentle parenting still allows you to deal with the behaviour and set consequences.
 
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We’ve got our stay and play at his new school later on this afternoon. 🥺😔I’m not looking forward to it
His dad has just taken him to nursery and he’s already crying cos I’m at home 🙈
 
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Loving the gentle parenting discussion in here. It's really made me reassess how I talk to my little girl. I have a tendency to be the shouty, angry mum and have a really short fuse, and I'm determined to try and change how I respond to her. This has been very interesting reading, thank you all ❤
 
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Loving the gentle parenting discussion in here. It's really made me reassess how I talk to my little girl. I have a tendency to be the shouty, angry mum and have a really short fuse, and I'm determined to try and change how I respond to her. This has been very interesting reading, thank you all ❤
This is defo me 😂
 
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Loving the gentle parenting discussion in here. It's really made me reassess how I talk to my little girl. I have a tendency to be the shouty, angry mum and have a really short fuse, and I'm determined to try and change how I respond to her. This has been very interesting reading, thank you all ❤
You know, I try my best not to be shouty and angry - but ask my older kids what sort of mum I was this morning and the answer will shame me til my grave. I shouted and ranted at them, and it wasn’t nice for any of us. All my fault. I think wanting to do better, not be that shouty person, and trying to find ways around it show how much we care, and how we want to be better. Very few people are naturally able to stay calm at all times. I am 100% not one of them, to my shame.
 
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This is going to sound so silly when I put it like this but do you think it’s ok that my child doesn’t really like play groups / toddler groups ? 🤦‍♀️

I only ask this as I’ve been a bit worried about him in terms of development (he babbles a lot but isn’t really speaking) and when I take him to new groups etc he usually hates them and screams/cries when all the other toddlers there are like playing nicely 😅 (I know that’s not reality and that they won’t be like it all the time)

I feel like you have it drummed into you from somewhere that you must take your child to groups to socialise them etc but it’s just left me stressing and feeling there’s something wrong with both of us.

I have kind of snapped myself out of that and just trying to think: he hates busy new places, I hate busy new places so should I be surprised 😅 there’s a weekly group he does like andis used to, but other than that I’m thinking let’s just do stuff we like. Spend more time outside at parks etc. do library trips, just potter about.

There’s just something in my brain telling me I’m not doing enough for his development (again don’t know really where I am getting that message from).

Really need to let go of this constant worry / guilt and just spend time with my boy but why is it so hard sometimes !
 
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I have no resilience to stress and get very reactive. I wasn’t allowed to have feelings when I was younger and I get triggered by her emotions because of this. My brain snaps into panic mode and wants to stop it straight away. I haven’t spoken to my dad in 13 years and I am very mindful of the future relationship I will have with my children. Although I am very snappy and have shouted way more than I wanted to. Im trying to come out of that shame circle and give myself the same compassion I allow for my child.
 
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Loving the gentle parenting discussion in here. It's really made me reassess how I talk to my little girl. I have a tendency to be the shouty, angry mum and have a really short fuse, and I'm determined to try and change how I respond to her. This has been very interesting reading, thank you all ❤
It’s a long process and I can still be that shouty mum at times, I feel like I constantly remind myself to take a second, not immediately react and work out an approach. I just like to think we’re both learning together. It’s hard but seeing changes in her behaviour and in myself has been the ultimate reward x
 
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This is going to sound so silly when I put it like this but do you think it’s ok that my child doesn’t really like play groups / toddler groups ? 🤦‍♀️

I only ask this as I’ve been a bit worried about him in terms of development (he babbles a lot but isn’t really speaking) and when I take him to new groups etc he usually hates them and screams/cries when all the other toddlers there are like playing nicely 😅 (I know that’s not reality and that they won’t be like it all the time)

I feel like you have it drummed into you from somewhere that you must take your child to groups to socialise them etc but it’s just left me stressing and feeling there’s something wrong with both of us.

I have kind of snapped myself out of that and just trying to think: he hates busy new places, I hate busy new places so should I be surprised 😅 there’s a weekly group he does like andis used to, but other than that I’m thinking let’s just do stuff we like. Spend more time outside at parks etc. do library trips, just potter about.

There’s just something in my brain telling me I’m not doing enough for his development (again don’t know really where I am getting that message from).

Really need to let go of this constant worry / guilt and just spend time with my boy but why is it so hard sometimes !
Of course it’s ok. It’s so overwhelming being taken to new places with new people, noises, mountains of toys and unpredictable toddlers. My daughter hated them until she made a friend with an older girl who took her under her wing and finally left my side. She is now very confident and makes friends wherever she goes. That is due to being at preschool which she only started when she turned 3.
 
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