Toddler advice thread #5

[TheDuchess]

Hello ladies! I am at my wits end, toddler is 20 months old and won’t stop proper chewing on her books or cuddly toys. She has just had 2 more teeth burst through and I keep her topped up on pain relief but omg the amount of books she has chewed the corners off!

I’ve removed easy access to the books but I feel awful for that as she does love looking through them whenever she wants. We still read them all to her but I’m just wondering when will she stop doing this? I’m starting to worry it’s pica and not just normal toddler exploring things or even mouthing because of teething.

 

[gossipgal21]

Hello ladies! I am at my wits end, toddler is 20 months old and won’t stop proper chewing on her books or cuddly toys. She has just had 2 more teeth burst through and I keep her topped up on pain relief but omg the amount of books she has chewed the corners off!

I’ve removed easy access to the books but I feel awful for that as she does love looking through them whenever she wants. We still read them all to her but I’m just wondering when will she stop doing this? I’m starting to worry it’s pica and not just normal toddler exploring things or even mouthing because of teething.

My son (2 next month) went through an insane phase of this too. I also felt bad for taking the books away. I don’t really know what to advise because he did just stop doing it as much (though he will still try and have a nibble). I can only guess he had a really big annoying tooth coming. I put the books out of reach but would still look at them with him and if he started really eating / biting them I took them away again. And repeat x infinity for what felt like forever but as with everything with toddlers it did pass I also tried offering him different things to bite but he wasn’t bothered, must be something about that tasty cardboard paper combo!

 

[watermelon sugar]

also in the full of cold cos toddler is in nursery club

 

[TheDuchess]

My son (2 next month) went through an insane phase of this too. I also felt bad for taking the books away. I don’t really know what to advise because he did just stop doing it as much (though he will still try and have a nibble). I can only guess he had a really big annoying tooth coming. I put the books out of reach but would still look at them with him and if he started really eating / biting them I took them away again. And repeat x infinity for what felt like forever but as with everything with toddlers it did pass I also tried offering him different things to bite but he wasn’t bothered, must be something about that tasty cardboard paper combo!

Thanks for the reply, it really is horrible moving their books out of reach

Mines isn’t bothered in the slightest about any safe toys she can chew on to her wee hearts content either. She wants the paper or her teddies. Her top tier is one of those that’s not my books with fluffy bits in it

It’s nice to hear that she might eventually stop doing this eventually 🫠

 

[gossipgal21]

Thanks for the reply, it really is horrible moving their books out of reach

Mines isn’t bothered in the slightest about any safe toys she can chew on to her wee hearts content either. She wants the paper or her teddies. Her top tier is one of those that’s not my books with fluffy bits in it

It’s nice to hear that she might eventually stop doing this eventually 🫠

Mine always wanted those books too. He loves them anyway but they were his number one for biting. They took a real bashing and I literally had to tape a few back up with masking tape as he managed to totally destroy them (not just by biting, he also ripped them so that’s something )

 

[TheDuchess]

Mine always wanted those books too. He loves them anyway but they were his number one for biting. They took a real bashing and I literally had to tape a few back up with masking tape as he managed to totally destroy them (not just by biting, he also ripped them so that’s something )

I remember thinking those books look sturdy….nope

 

[smellsofbiscuits]

Hi all might be expecting too much here but wanted opinions on it.

Toddler has started potty training but had a poo in his pants today. His childcare setting bagged up all his clothes but left the poo in his pants. Is this usual practice?

Was expecting a mess when I opened up the bag but did not expect the poo to still be there. Am I being a bit of a princess?

 

[Definitelyme]

Hi all might be expecting too much here but wanted opinions on it.

Toddler has started potty training but had a poo in his pants today. His childcare setting bagged up all his clothes but left the poo in his pants. Is this usual practice?

Was expecting a mess when I opened up the bag but did not expect the poo to still be there. Am I being a bit of a princess?

What a fun little treat! I think that’s probably pretty standard. They would be more concerned with cleaning your child up and wouldn’t have the time to scrap the poo out, and it’s not really their job. (Although I think we can all hope that since they’d be in the vicinity of a toilet at that time they’d do the needful!)
As unpleasant as that is for you. I can only imagine the smell in the bag

ETA just clocked your username and lol-ed. bet that didn’t smell of biscuits

 

[smellsofbiscuits]

What a fun little treat! I think that’s probably pretty standard. They would be more concerned with cleaning your child up and wouldn’t have the time to scrap the poo out, and it’s not really their job. (Although I think we can all hope that since they’d be in the vicinity of a toilet at that time they’d do the needful!)
As unpleasant as that is for you. I can only imagine the smell in the bag

ETA just clocked your username and lol-ed. bet that didn’t smell of biscuits

That's fair enough. Bad enough dealing with poo when it's supposed to be someone you love

Fortunately it was double bagged so the smell wasn't too intense. It is possible my nose may have become immune for this round of potty training

 

[AllTheBest2022]

Hi all might be expecting too much here but wanted opinions on it.

Toddler has started potty training but had a poo in his pants today. His childcare setting bagged up all his clothes but left the poo in his pants. Is this usual practice?

Was expecting a mess when I opened up the bag but did not expect the poo to still be there. Am I being a bit of a princess?

Ex nursery assistant - I'd always bin the underwear unless the parents requested they'd be sent home. If it was just a skid mark I'd bag it up and inform the parents at pick up and give them the option to take home, or I'd offer to dispose of it. When my son was potty training I specifically told his nursery not to send home pants he'd had a poo accident in

 

[Jellybean093]

Ex nursery assistant - I'd always bin the underwear unless the parents requested they'd be sent home. If it was just a skid mark I'd bag it up and inform the parents at pick up and give them the option to take home, or I'd offer to dispose of it. When my son was potty training I specifically told his nursery not to send home pants he'd had a poo accident in

Yer, same. The preschool my son was at would throw. I don’t want that coming home with me, thank you! The endless ‘drawings’ are enough

 

[Longtimesnooper]

Yer, same. The preschool my son was at would throw. I don’t want that coming home with me, thank you! The endless ‘drawings’ are enough

I always knew I wouldn't be the arts & crafts type mum, it's just tat & clutter! I was sorting out her bag & took out what I thought was a scrap bit if blue paper, I wondered, why are they putting rubbish in her bag! On closer inspection it was a dolphin & she had literally stuck on one sequin for an eye, that was it! Last week I found a yellow strip of card with again one thing stuck it!

 

[Jellybean093]

I always knew I wouldn't be the arts & crafts type mum, it's just tat & clutter! I was sorting out her bag & took out what I thought was a scrap bit if blue paper, I wondered, why are they putting rubbish in her bag! On closer inspection it was a dolphin & she had literally stuck on one sequin for an eye, that was it! Last week I found a yellow strip of card with again one thing stuck it!

He used to come home with so much tit from preschool. He still has his ‘Christmas list’ on the fridge from last year a few kids came out today with paints, and I was SO glad he was not one of them

 

[jackieweaver’sauthority]

Has anyone got a play sofa? I’m sick of telling my three year old off for jumping on the sofa and now my 8 month old is crawling it’s not safe as she falls off a lot too. We don’t have a garden and she’s a high energy kid so it’s exhausting for me to keep trying to harness her energy in different ways when clearly she just wants to throw herself around

 

[PillowsofFluff]

Hey guys, my almost 4 year old is suddenly really upset at the thought of going to her childminder's. She used to bound in full of smiles, now we get tears before drop off and moans of not wanting to go. I know it seems extreme but she's a completely different child to how she was in the summer, withdrawn, sulky... I guess I just don't know what to do. A lot of her friends have moved on to preschool, but we chose not to send her, could it all be just her missing her friends?
Also, for the last 2 weeks her appetite has dropped off a cliff. Now won't even eat chocolate or her favourites, gets halfway through then says she's full.. she used to eat me out of house and home, now she barely eats one full meal a day. She gets hysterical at the childminders when told to eat lunch, she doesn't eat at all during the day there from 8am - 4pm. I'm just at a loss as to what to do. She's been referred to ENT for tonsil issues, but never had such a big problem with eating as we have now

 

[watermelon sugar]

Hey guys, my almost 4 year old is suddenly really upset at the thought of going to her childminder's. She used to bound in full of smiles, now we get tears before drop off and moans of not wanting to go. I know it seems extreme but she's a completely different child to how she was in the summer, withdrawn, sulky... I guess I just don't know what to do. A lot of her friends have moved on to preschool, but we chose not to send her, could it all be just her missing her friends?
Also, for the last 2 weeks her appetite has dropped off a cliff. Now won't even eat chocolate or her favourites, gets halfway through then says she's full.. she used to eat me out of house and home, now she barely eats one full meal a day. She gets hysterical at the childminders when told to eat lunch, she doesn't eat at all during the day there from 8am - 4pm. I'm just at a loss as to what to do. She's been referred to ENT for tonsil issues, but never had such a big problem with eating as we have now

How long has she been like this for both off food and upset for childminder? Randomly the other week my son simultaneously didn’t like going to pre school and was off his food then a few days later came down with a really nasty stomach bug and cold combined so we put it all down to him coming down with something. He’s a lot better now and is liking going in to pre school again and is eating better too

 

[PillowsofFluff]

How long has she been like this for both off food and upset for childminder? Randomly the other week my son simultaneously didn’t like going to pre school and was off his food then a few days later came down with a really nasty stomach bug and cold combined so we put it all down to him coming down with something. He’s a lot better now and is liking going in to pre school again and is eating better too

I guess it's been about ten days ish. My childminder has just sent me a video (2 minutes long) of my daughter in floods of tears about eating lunch, without them even mentioning it. She hasn't eaten breakfast and likely won't eat at there today. I really don't want to have to pull her out but I can't keep sending her if she will starve herself while she's there and get hysterical. It's just tit
My mother in law has terminal cancer and is in hospital at the moment, so this is just really bad timing

 

[AllTheBest2022]

I guess it's been about ten days ish. My childminder has just sent me a video (2 minutes long) of my daughter in floods of tears about eating lunch, without them even mentioning it. She hasn't eaten breakfast and likely won't eat at there today. I really don't want to have to pull her out but I can't keep sending her if she will starve herself while she's there and get hysterical. It's just tit
My mother in law has terminal cancer and is in hospital at the moment, so this is just really bad timing

Could this be contributing to her emotions, rather than the childminder? If she is semi-aware that something is going on with your MIL it could explain her lack of appetite etc.

P.S - so sorry to hear about your mother in law 🤍

 

[PillowsofFluff]

Could this be contributing to her emotions, rather than the childminder? If she is semi-aware that something is going on with your MIL it could explain her lack of appetite etc.

P.S - so sorry to hear about your mother in law 🤍

Thank you I did wonder that, but she has only been in hospital 3 days and the not eating has been going on for a little bit longer. But definitely a possibility. She eats ok at home with me most of the time (though only about half of the amount she used to eat) , she just refuses to touch food at her minders house. Just got back from the doctors with her, no medical explanation they can find, although we need to do a urine sample to double check. If it continues with no obvious cause, next step is blood tests
The internet seems to suggest she'll eat when hungry but what if that doesn't happen I'm probably overreacting as she does eat sometimes.. but the quantity is tiny

 

[Definitelyme]

Thank you I did wonder that, but she has only been in hospital 3 days and the not eating has been going on for a little bit longer. But definitely a possibility. She eats ok at home with me most of the time (though only about half of the amount she used to eat) , she just refuses to touch food at her minders house. Just got back from the doctors with her, no medical explanation they can find, although we need to do a urine sample to double check. If it continues with no obvious cause, next step is blood tests
The internet seems to suggest she'll eat when hungry but what if that doesn't happen I'm probably overreacting as she does eat sometimes.. but the quantity is tiny

Did she have an event that precipitated it all? Tonsillitis, choking etc that she has made the association that food is sore? And she maybe only feels safe eating at home?